Overview

• The third-round tie kicks off at 8pm BST at Vale Park, with live coverage on Sky Sports in the UK.
• Arteta has included Dowman in the first-team group, with reports he is likely to feature, and a start would make him Arsenal’s youngest ever starter.
• The teenager has already made two Premier League cameos this season, including winning a penalty on debut against Leeds United.
• David Ornstein reports Noni Madueke faces roughly two months out with a knee injury, increasing short‑term opportunities for academy players.
• Arsenal assistants Albert Stuivenberg and Gabriel Heinze watched Dowman score for the U21s as staff assessed options, while Port Vale’s Darren Moore says his side must produce an “elite” performance.