Arsenal’s 5-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers at the Emirates was a night to remember for several players in the EFL Cup.
Four Hale End talents were handed their full senior debut by Mikel Arteta in the third round of the EFL Cup on a magical night in N5.
Ethan Nwaneri made his full debut and scored twice, with Myles Lewis-Skelly, Josh Nichols and Jack Porter also starting the fixture.
While the three outfield players have been around Arteta’s first team recently, it was a surprise to see 16-year-old Porter named in goal for Arsenal against Bolton.
- READ MORE: Arsenal player ratings vs Bolton, Ethan Nwaneri 9/10 as another Hale Ender also catches the eye
How Jack Porter reacted to making Arsenal debut vs Bolton
It was a night to remember for Porter, who at just 16-years-old, became the youngest goalkeeper to ever represent Arsenal.
With David Raya recovering from a small injury and Neto cup-tied, Porter was handed the chance to impress on a dream night at the Emirates.
In his post-match press conference, Arteta revealed that he only broke the news to the youngster the day before the fixture, sharing his heartwarming response.
“We told him yesterday and he was over the moon,” Arteta said.
- READ MORE: Get to know Jack Porter with everything on the Arsenal goalkeeper, including age, height and stats
“Straight away he spoke to his family. They weren’t prepared for that. I think they were nervous about it. He reacted really well and was really composed. What an experience.”
The England U17s international was unlucky not to have kept a clean sheet against the Trotters, as a rapid counter attack left Arsenal exposed before Aaron Collins scored.
Aside from the fact that Raya and Neto were unavailable, the Arsenal boss explained why he trusted Porter between the sticks.
“Jack has been training with us since pre-season. He plays in the national team and we felt it was the right choice.”
It was an occasion for the 16-year-old to treasure for the rest of his playing career, with the result capping off a near-perfect night for the teen.
Porter breaks Arsenal record with start against Bolton
If Porter wasn’t well-known before the match, he’s certainly more popular now having written his name into Arsenal’s history books.
Not only did the 16-year-old become the youngest ‘keeper to ever represent the Gunners, but also the youngest-ever player to start for Arsenal at senior level.
- READ MORE: What Riccardo Calafiori was spotted doing to Arsenal debutant Jack Porter before kick-off vs Bolton
Porter broke a 21-year record to become the youngest representative at the Emirates, overtaking Cesc Fabregas as Arsenal’s youngest player at just 16 years and 72 days old.
Fabregas was 16 years and 177 days old when he started in the same competition against Rotherham United in 2003, a record that Porter wouldn’t have expected to have broken at the start of the week.
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