Arsenal have beaten Preston 3-0 after a dominant night’s work at Deepdale.
Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring against the Championship side with his first goal since January.
Before a wondergoal from Ethan Nwaneri and a stunning header from substitute Kai Havertz.
The Gunners now march on into the all-important quarter-final draw tonight.
- Preston XI: Woodman, Kesler-Hayden, Whatmough, Lindsay, Hughes, Ledson, Thordarson, Bowler, Holmes, Okkels, Greenwood
- Arsenal XI: Setford, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Merino, Sterling, Jesus, Martinelli
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That’s all from Deepdale
It’s been a good night for Arsenal – and not a refereeing controversy in sight.
Whether normal service will be resumed on that front when the Gunners go to Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime remains to be seen, but for now the North Londoners can savour a professional performance at Preston and a place in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Thanks for joining us, and goodnight.
Eagles await in quarter-finals
The draw for the Carabao Cup quarter-finals has just taken place, and the Gunners have been handed a home tie against Crystal Palace by Jamie Redknapp and Izzy Christiansen.
The London derby will take place at the Emirates during the week commencing December 16th.
- Tottenham v Man Utd
- Arsenal v Crystal Palace
- Newcastle v Brentford
- Southampton v Liverpool
Arteta praises teenage star Nwaneri
Mikel Arteta admitted that Arsenal have a big talent on their hands in Ethan Nwaneri, but reiterated that his development needs to be managed correctly for him to reach his potential.
The 17-year-old capped a wonderful performance at Preston with a brilliant goal, but the Gunners boss revealed that it was no surprise to those that watch him day in and day out.
He did it yesterday in training so we’re getting used to it! He’s a big talent and he’s got the right attitude. He’s got the right players around him. We need to make sure that we develop him – brick by brick – with the right tempo in the right order – but we have some player there.
Mikel Arteta on Ethan Nwaneri
Match stats from Deepdale
The Gunners dominated the game, and that’s borne out by the numbers.
From Martin Blackburn at Deepdale
Very straightforward for the Gunners – who won comfortably and should really have scored more.
Gabriel Jesus will be delighted to end his 274 day goal drought – but he was upstaged by teen starlet Ethan Nwaneri. He scored a beauty and could have had more – what a talent he looks.
Full time – Preston 0-3 Arsenal
Job done for the Gunners.
A first goal in ten months for Gabriel Jesus, a wonder goal by wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri, and a clean sheet on debut for 18-year-old goalkeeper Tommy Setford.
What more could Mikel Arteta ask for? A home draw in the quarter-final, perhaps. It won’t be long until he finds out if that request is answer…
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
90+3. That’s even better defending from Potts to deny Sterling!
Somehow the Preston sub gets back to turn over a shot from right underneath the crossbar with an incredible sliding lunge.
That deserves so much more, but it is going to be the last act of a 3-0 defeat.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
90. A Sterling run and shot is expertly defended by Potts, and that’s the cue for the fourth official to indicate three minutes of stoppage time.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
88. Havertz steers in a fourth after great work from Jesus but once again the officials cut the celebrations short.
Jesus is the one penalised, adjudged to have run the ball out of the play as he burst to the byline before cutting back for the German.
Oh no. This is going to mean three days of freeze frame images and tweets about Gary Neville.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
85. Emil Riis almost gives the home fans something to cheer before the journey home.
The substitute gets on the end of a delivery into the box, but is unable to direct it goalwards.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
83. The fourth North End player booked this evening is Mads Frokjaer-Jensen.
It’s difficult to know whether he has been cautioned for the unnecessary trip, or for screaming in referee Peter Bankes’ face after the decision.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
80. Nwaneri is withdrawn with ten minutes remaining, and goes off to a fabulous reception from the travelling fans.
On for his senior debut is Ayden Heaven.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
77. Nwaneri’s stylish left foot fires another shot on to the top of the crossbar.
The 17-year-old has been the standout performer at Deepdale tonight.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
75. Preston are pushing for a consolation with quarter of an hour remaining.
Suddenly, Tommy Setford is having to work hard for a clean sheet on debut.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
73. Stefan Thordarson is shown a yellow card for a cynical slide on Kai Havertz as the German brought play out of the Arsenal defensive third.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
71. The game appears to be opening up as it enters the final 20 minutes.
That can’t be good news for the Championship club, unless they feel it’s better to lose 5-1 than 3-0.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
69. Nwaneri has the ball in the back of the net, but the whistle had long gone beforehand to rule the goal out.
Let’s hope this disallowed goal doesn’t prompt a week of conspiracy theories on social media.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
67. Arsenal want more.
Havertz almost nabs his second header of the night, but this time it’s kept out by fine reactions from Woodman.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
65. How has that stayed out?
Sterling does brilliantly to break the lines and slip in Jesus on the left.
The striker comes back on to his right foot and strikes at goal, a shot that is palmed out by Woodman.
Following it back in is Sterling, whose effort on the rebound is also stopped by the keeper, who then combines with a grounded defender to stop it being bundled in.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
63. This is the last thing you want to see if you’re a Preston player: Bukayo Saka stripped and ready to enter the action.
The forward eventually replaces Gabriel Martinelli with Myles Lewis-Skelly also on for Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
61. Frokjaer-Jensen has the opportunity to make an immediate impact, but drags a shot wide after being sent through on goal.
In any case, the Dane is flagged offside before he can contemplate a terrible miss any further.
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
59. Paul Heckingbottom responds to that third goal by making a triple change.
The Preston boss sends on Danish pair Mads Frokjaer-Jensen and Emil Riis, as well as Brad Potts.
Off go Sam Greenwood, Josh Bowler and Kaine Kesler-Hayden.
GOAL! – Preston 0-3 Arsenal
57. Kai Havertz makes it three!
The half-time substitute adds himself to the scoresheet with a textbook header, planting Jakub Kiwior’s left-wing cross into the top corner of Freddie Woodman’s goal.
Arsenal are heading for the quarter-finals – and who would bet against them?
Havertz header!
Preston 0-2 Arsenal
57. Andrew Hughes goes into the book for wiping out Gabriel Jesus.
The left-back becomes the second Preston defender to be cautioned after bodychecking the forward as he moved to reach a one-two with Nwaneri.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
