15-year-old Ethan Nwaneri makes debut for Arsenal in easy win at Brentford
Fifteen-year-old Ethan Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history when he came on as a substitute for Arsenal as they returned to the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 3-0 win at Brentford on Sunday.
Goals from William Saliba and Gabriel Jesus gave Mikel Arteta’s side a 2-0 lead at the break before Fabio Vieira completed the win in the 54th minute.
Ethan Nwaneri, who is 15 years and 181 days old, came on as a substitute for Vieira in the second minute of stoppage time, the first player under 16 to play in the competition.
The previous youngest player to feature in the league was Harvey Elliott, now of Liverpool, who was 16 years, 38 days old when he made his top flight debut for Fulham.
Arsenal had suffered their first defeat of the season in their last outing, at Manchester United, but never looked in danger, controlling the game from the outset.
Saliba got things under way, heading the visitors in front in the 17th minute, rising to angle a corner from Bukayo Saka in off the far post.
Another header, 11 minutes later, doubled Arsenal’s advantage with Grant Xhaka picking out Gabriel Jesus with a perfectly floated cross from the left which the Brazilian met powerfully.
The game was put beyond Brentford in the fourth minute after the break thanks to a wonderful strike from outside the box by Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira, which rattled in off the post.
“We have a different mentality this season. We kept going and are training like we play and have class with the players that can make a difference,” said Arsenal midfielder Xhaka.
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