Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka scored second-half goals as a youthful Arsenal side beat Brighton to reach the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
2025/2026 League Cup
2-0
Match Report
After a nervy first period, Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka found the back of the net for the Gunners, while impressive performances from Piero Hincapie and Kepa Arrizabalaga saw them keep another clean sheet.
The Gunners struggled to find their rhythm after Mikel Arteta made 10 changes from their victory against Crystal Palace on Sunday, and Brighton were left wondering how they were not ahead at the break.
Stefanos Tzimas and Georginio Rutter both missed one-on-one opportunities against Kepa, while the goalkeeper also denied a long-range effort from Carlos Baleba before Jan Paul van Hecke failed to hit the target with a close-range header.
And the Seagulls were made to pay for their wastefulness in front of goal when the hosts went ahead in the 57th minute. Mikel Merino played Myles Lewis-Skelly into the box with a backheel pass, and the left-back squared it to Nwaneri, who found the bottom-right corner with a first-time finish.
Arteta's side looked far more comfortable in the match after taking the lead, with Eberechi Eze seeing a shot blocked before Merino's header was stopped by Jason Steele, but Saka found the net five minutes after coming on to secure the win for Arsenal.
15 - Arsenal's Max Dowman is the youngest player to start a match for a Premier League side in all competitions (15 years, 302 days), and the first player to do so before the age of 16. Opportunity. pic.twitter.com/wZP1Pp1RZJ
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 29, 2025
Data Debrief: Youngsters provide the goods for Arteta
Although Arsenal kept a sixth consecutive clean sheet in all competitions, Fabian Hurzeler will be disappointed in his Brighton side's display in the final third.
The Seagulls produced 1.53 expected goals (xG) from 18 shots, while Arsenal accumulated 1.19 from 16 attempts.
It was also a memorable night for Max Dowman, who became the youngest player to start a match for a Premier League side in all competitions (15 years, 302 days), and the first player to do so before the age of 16.
Nwaneri, meanwhile, scored his first of the season for Arsenal and his fourth overall in six EFL Cup appearances for the Gunners.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
3' Baleba fancies a drive at goal from about 25 yards but that's easy for Kepa
8' Kepa is called into action but Georginio Rutter can't find the corner
9' Rutter plays a lovely pass for Tzimas who sticks it wide when one-on-one
35' Merino tries a back-heel pass but it's straight into the keeper's hands
39' CLOSE! Van Hecke's header from close range is wide!
47' Dowman dances his way to the byline and goes down in the box but no penalty
50' Rutter goes left to Maxim De Cuyper and his effort is punched clear by Kepa
57' GOAL! Nwaneri breaks the deadlock following great set-up! Arsenal 1-0 Brighton
75' Match Event for Arsenal vs Brighton
76' GOAL! Saka finishes with ease to double the lead! Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Line-ups
Arsenal XI: Christian Nørgaard, Kepa, Merino, Ben White, Eberechi Eze, Hincapie, Cristhian Mosquera, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, Max Dowman, Andre Harriman-Annous
Subs: Trossard, David Raya, Rice, Viktor Gyökeres, Gabriel, Martín Zubimendi, Saka, Timber, Calafiori
Brighton XI: Steele, Olivier Boscagli, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Georginio Rutter, Maxim De Cuyper, Jan Paul van Hecke, Diego Gómez, Diego Coppola, Carlos Baleba, Stefanos Tzimas, Charalampos Kostoulas
Subs: Welbeck, Dunk, Mats Wieffer, Yasin Ayari, Yankuba Minteh, Tom Watson, Freddie Simmonds, Nils Ramming, Joe Knight