Ethan Nwaneri steals the show as Arsenal wonderkid sends another message to Mikel Arteta

Ethan Nwaneri stole the show with a stunning strike which helped breeze past and into the quarter-finals.

The Gunners fired in three to see off the side but it was the second from 17-year-old Nwaneri which was by far the pick of the bunch. The teenage academy graduate followed up his with a beauty.

It was a superb finish from the edge of the area sandwiched between and goals which made this an easy night for men at Deepdale. It was all change for Arsenal but still over £200m worth of players out on the pitch with a sprinkling of academy talent and, of course, the loan man .

Only three of the starting line up from survived but there was plenty of international experience out there to ensure there was no slip up. Preston didn’t offer much of a banana skin as boss made six changes from his side’s draw at Plymouth.

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The hosts didn’t threaten in a one-sided first half lit up by Nwaneri’s stunning goal. Preston were poor barring a late rally which saw them create a couple of chances but it was far from a spirited effort from the hosts to make it an interesting tie.

It was a close-range finish from Jesus which got the Gunners off the mark as he fired in after a knock down from Jakub Kiwior in the 24th minute. That was before Nwaneri wrapped his left boot around one from the edge of the area and found the top corner in the 33rd minute.

It was a stunner from the 17-year-old who had earlier squandered a great chance but more than made up for it with that finish. Arsenal were cruising which was to the delight of Arteta as he had the chance to make a double change at the break.

It was clear he wanted to give and Mikel Merino just 45 minutes to continue to get up to speed after recent injuries. It was Havertz and who replaced them.

And it was Havertz who headed in the third from a Kiwior cross 12 minutes after emerging to ensure there would be no fight back from the Championship side. Sterling - who also scored in the last round against Bolton - was denied by a fine double save from Freddie Woodman and then a goal-line clearance late on.

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