Arsenal 2-0 Brighton: Max Dowman makes history as Gunners seal Carabao Cup quarter-final spot | OneFootball

15-year-old steals the show on full senior debut as Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka goals secure eighth successive win

On a night Max Dowman stole the pre-match headlines as the 15-year-old became Arsenal's youngest-ever starter, it was another product of the fabled Hale End Academy who delivered the breakthrough.

Nwaneri, 18, steered home Myles Lewis-Skelly's cross after 57 minutes before substitute Saka - who also rose through the club's junior ranks - doubled the hosts' advantage with 14 minutes to go.

Brighton had chances to score but Arsenal kept the visitors at bay as Mikel Arteta's men recorded their sixth clean sheet in a row. Their defence has been breached just three times in 14 matches across all competitions so far.

Dowman, two months and two days shy of his 16th birthday, was among 10 changes made by Arteta with only Eberechi Eze keeping his place from the side which saw off Crystal Palace to move four points clear in the Premier League on Sunday.

And it was Brighton who were on top in the first period. Kepa Arrizabalaga was called into action with only 90 seconds gone when he saved Carlos Baleba's long-range shot. Kepa was needed again after eight minutes when Georginio Rutter burst through into the box only to be denied by the Spaniard.

A huge let-off then followed for the hosts when Lewis-Skelly did not know whether to stick or twist as Brighton broke away from an Arsenal corner.

The teenager hesitated, before sticking, which allowed Rutter the freedom of the Emirates before he found Stefanos Tzimas, who then had only Kepa to beat but he sprayed his shot wide.

Kepa was required for a third time when he saw off Rutter's drive from distance. Brighton were on top and should really have been ahead, with occasional flashes of brilliance from Dowman - Arsenal's best player - one of few positives of an off-colour opening period for the league leaders who failed to muster a single effort on Jason Steele's goal.

The start of the second half continued in a similar vein. Dowman remained Arsenal's liveliest attacking player, while the shots still rained down on Kepa's goal and after 50 minutes, the former Chelsea man punched clear Maxim De Cuyper's strike.

But the contest turned on its head shortly before the hour mark. Nwaneri has found opportunities hard to come by so far this term following Arsenal's £250million summer spending spree.

But here he delivered a reminder to Arteta with his opening goal capping an encouraging performance in the No10 role.

Stand-in captain Mikel Merino's exquisite no-look backheel unlocked the Brighton defence and Lewis-Skelly's quick pass to Nwaneri was then buried by the 18-year-old.

Steele got his fingertips to the ball and might have done better, but that did not matter to Nwaneri as he celebrated his first goal in six months.

Dowman's impressive night under the lights came to an end with 20 minutes remaining and he was afforded a standing ovation when he was replaced by Saka.

And Saka almost made an immediate impact when Merino's header from his in-swinging corner was blocked on the line by Steele.

But Saka did get on the scoresheet when fellow substitute Jurrien Timber's bursting run found another debutant, 17-year-old Andre Harriman-Annous. His shot was blocked by Steele only for Saka to coolly convert the rebound.

Suddenly from looking in possible danger of exiting the competition, Arsenal were in a position of complete control and cruising into the fifth round, with Leandro Trossard a Brighton post away from making it 3-0 in stoppage time.