Arsenal 2-0 Brighton: Report, result and goals as Nwaneri and Saka fire Gunners into quarter-finals
A much-changed Arsenal overcame rigorous test by Brighton to eventually earn a 2-0 win at the Emirates and seal their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
After Brighton missed a host of chances against their inexperienced opponents, the Gunners rode the storm and eventually progressed thanks to goals from Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka.
Mikel Arteta will have been pleased with his evening’s having avoided a slip-up despite resting a number of their regular stars, though the Gunners boss will be well aware they rode their luck in North London.
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace as it happened
Brighton started confidently against a much-changed Arsenal side with Carlos Baleba trying his luck from distance which stung the palms of Kepa Arrizabalaga inside two minutes.
Up the other end a few moments later, Mikel Merino was not far from finding the top corner after a positive drive from Ethan Nwaneri.
The frantic opening continued when Georginio Rutter broke clear on the right-hand side but Kepa got down well to block the Frenchman’s strike.
Arsenal had an early chance to utilise their strengths from set-pieces the corner actually ended up presenting a chance for Brighton on the counter, with Rutter feeding Stefanos Tzimas who should have found the net when clear through on goal.
It was Diego Gomez’s turn next to threaten the goal for the Seagulls, firing just wide from distance as the visitors’ impressive start continued. Kepa was then kept busy by a long-range strike from Rutter.
A chance for the striker came again when Brighton capitalised on another mistake, with Ferdi Kasioglu helping it on to Rutter who couldn’t guide his header on target.
Despite Brighton’s threat, 15-year-old Max Dowman continued to provide a spark on a rare start for the hosts, dancing his way through a number of Seagulls defender but he couldn’t quite bring the ball with him.
If not already by the 40th-minute mark, Brighton should undoubtedly have been in front when Jan Paul van Hecke missed a close-range header from a corner for a chance the centre-back was left ruing before half-time.
The Brighton dominance continued as yet another mistake from the inexperienced hosts left Tzimas one-on-one with Christhian Mosquera but the defender put out a strong leg and eventually won the foul, but a Max De Cuyper effort moments later then called Kepa into action again.
Arsenal did not get their first shot on target until the 55th minute when Eberechi Eze slotted Nwaneri through but, after a nice swivel, the youngster’s shot was straight at Jason Steele.
But the 18-year-old was not disappointed for long as he fired in the corner after a lovely move which included a nice backheel from Merino.
They were then so close to going 2-0 up after an Eze shot spun up into the air but bounced just past the post.
A handful of huge chances then came Brighton’s way, two of which came through Yacine Ayari with another missed by Tom Watson.
Arsenal then somehow didn’t find the net from the corner when substitute Bukayo Saka’s cross found Merino, whose header was somehow clawed off the line after a scramble.
But it was finally game over when some excellent work from Jurrien Timber presented a chance for Andre Harriman-Annous, whose shot was saved into the path of Saka who tucked home.
Former Brighton man Leandro Trossard was inches away from rubbing salt in the wounds before the full-time with a long-range effort but struck off the bottom of the post.