Arsenal moved into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup with a comfortable win at Championship side Preston North End.
Gunners’ boss Mikel Arteta, who handed 18-year-old goalkeeper Tommy Setford a debut, saw his much-changed side dominate throughout.
Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring for the visitors midway through the first half, with an emphatic close-range finish after Jakub Kiwior had nodded down Gabriel Martinelli’s delivery to the back post.
Arsenal’s 17-year-old midfielder Ethan Nwaneri doubled their lead before the break, collecting Jesus’ pass and dispatching a curling effort into the top corner from 18 yards to finish off a flowing move down the right.
Half-time substitute Kai Havertz rounded off the scoring for the Londoners before the hour mark, heading past Freddie Woodman from Kiwior’s cross from the left.
With a clear gulf in class between the two sides, on another evening Arsenal’s margin of victory could have been even greater.
However, the performance of Woodman, who made one superb double save from Raheem Sterling, limited the damage for the hosts.
Preston's defeat means there are only Premier League sides left in the competition.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
15' Ethan Nwaneri's left shot from the box center is too high, assisted by Sterling!
23' GOAL! Jesus shoots to the bottom right corner! Preston North End 0-1 Arsenal
27' Delay in match because of an injury Gabriel Martinelli...
30' Ethan Nwaneri's left foot shot is saved in the center!
33' GOAL! Preston North End 0-2 Arsenal (Ethan Nwaneri)
54' Match Event for Preston North End vs Arsenal
57' GOAL! Preston North End 0-3 Arsenal (Kai Havertz)
61' Highlight from Preston North End vs Arsenal
64' Highlight from Preston North End vs Arsenal
71' Match Event for Preston North End vs Arsenal
80' Highlight from Preston North End vs Arsenal
85' Highlight from Preston North End vs Arsenal
88' Highlight from Preston North End vs Arsenal
Line-ups
Preston North End XI: Andrew Hughes, Jack Whatmough, Freddie Woodman, Duane Holmes, Liam Lindsay, Ryan Ledson, Jeppe Okkels, Josh Bowler, Stefán Teitur Thórdarson, Sam Greenwood, Kaine Kesler-Hayden
Subs: David Cornell, Brad Potts, Ben Whiteman, Jordan Storey, Emil Riis, Ali McCann, Mads Frøkjaer-Jensen, Layton Stewart, Kian Best
Arsenal XI: Sterling, Jorginho, Zinchenko, Merino, Jesus, Martinelli, William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Jurrien Timber, Tommy Setford, Ethan Nwaneri
Subs: Trossard, Partey, David Raya, Rice, Havertz, Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Josh Nichols, Ayden Heaven