Eze scores first Arsenal goal in Carabao Cup win

Eberechi Eze got his first Arsenal goal as Mikel Arteta’s men laboured to beat League One Port Vale 2-0 in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

- IAN PARKER

After Eze struck just eight minutes into the match this should have turned into a comfortable night for the Gunners against a side who, despite back-to-back wins, sit 19th in the third tier. But they struggled to create clear chances until substitute Leandro Trossard finished it off in the 86th minute.

Still, it was enough for Arsenal, semifinalists last season, to progress as they seek to win this competition for only a third time.

Roared on by the biggest Vale Park crowd this century, 16,326-strong, Port Vale came charging out of the traps in the opening five minutes, but Arsenal soon got a foothold in the game and led through Eze’s first goal since his £60m move from Crystal Palace.

Arsenal made the goal look easy as Bukayo Saka won back possession and switched play to the left. Myles Lewis-Skelly’s dummy wrong-footed Jesse Debrah as Gabriel Martinelli’s low ball left Eze with a simple close-range finish.

Eze was part of a strong Gunners side featuring nine changes from Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City as Saka returned to the starting XI after a hamstring injury, Christian Norgaard made his first start and there was a debut in goal for Kepa Arrizabalaga.