On Wednesday evening, at the Emirates Stadium in London, Arsenal secured a 2–0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion to progress to the quarter‑finals of the 2025‑26 EFL Cup.
The opening goal arrived in the 57th minute, when 18‑year‑old academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri timed his run from the edge of the box and buried a low finish after a slick move involving Mikel Merino and full‑back Myles Lewis‑Skelly.
The second came in the 76th minute through veteran forward Bukayo Saka, who converted a rebound after a shot from debutant Andre Harriman‑Annous was blocked by the keeper.
Arsenal fielded a heavily rotated side, making 10 changes from their most recent Premier League outing. The home side weathered an early Brighton storm. Keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga made a string of important saves before the breakthrough. Defender Max Dowman made history by becoming the youngest ever player to start a competitive match for Arsenal at 15 years 302 days. This win marked Arsenal’s sixth consecutive clean sheet and their eighth straight victory in all competitions.
Manager Mikel Arteta described the occasion as “a very special evening” especially given the emergence of young players and the level of performance despite the rotation. He further added:
“We’re struggling with some positions already and it’s October, so we’re going to need them. It was a great test for them and I take a lot of learning from it.”
Arsenal will now face Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup quarter‑final. In the Premier League, they maintain a comfortable lead at the top as they prepare to travel to Burnley this weekend.
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