Teenage prodigy Ethan Nwaneri gave the Gunners a 16th minute lead against Brighton to achieve something no one at Arsenal ever has.
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Nwaneri netted for Arsenal against Brighton17-year-old making an impact for GunnersNow a record holder in club's history booksFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The left-footed strike from the right-hand side of the penalty area was the second time that Nwaneri has scored in the Premier League – that makes it two for Arsenal in the competition before the age of 18. He is the first to achieve that feat, going ahead of former teen prodigy Cesc Fabregas, who only scored one Premier League goal aged 17 or younger. The Spaniard got his second just days after his 18th birthday in 2005.
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Nwaneri has been a permanent part of the Arsenal first-team this season, although until recently the majority of his appearances had been as a substitute or as a Carabao Cup starter. The Brighton game was his second successive Premier League start after also featuring in the XI against Brentford on New Year's Day.
DID YOU KNOW?
Nwaneri previously broke another Fabregas record when he debuted at the age of 15 years and 181 days in 2022, becoming Arsenal's youngest ever player in the process. That also made him the Premier League era's youngest player, breaking the record set by Harvery Elliott, while he is the youngest debutant in the history of the English top flight – a record which had stood since 1964.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ETHAN NWANERI
With Bukayo Saka currently injured and perhaps not back until March following hamstring surgery, Nwaneri is taking his chance and looks set for an extended run in the Arsenal team. The Gunners will face Newcastle in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday night, before hosting Manchester United in the FA Cup third round. The Champions League also returns later this month, with matchday seven and eight against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona respectively.