Overview
- Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka scored in a 2-0 win over Brighton to send Arsenal into the quarter-finals, where they will host Crystal Palace.
- Max Dowman, aged 15 years and 302 days, became Arsenal’s youngest-ever starter and departed to a standing ovation after 70 minutes.
- Mikel Arteta called Dowman’s display “special” and highlighted the need to protect the teenager as he adapts to senior football.
- Arteta made 10 changes, handing full debuts to Dowman and 17-year-old Andre Harriman-Annous, with Nwaneri finishing a move created by Myles Lewis-Skelly and Saka converting a rebound.
- The result marked Arsenal’s 11th match unbeaten and a sixth straight clean sheet, with Brighton ruing missed first-half chances and Kepa Arrizabalaga key early on.