Eze nets first Arsenal goal as 2-0 Carabao Cup win at Port Vale

Eberechi Eze scored his first goal for Arsenal as the Premier League side beat League One Port Vale 2-0 at Vale Park on Wednesday to reach the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. Eze opened the scoring in the eighth minute and Leandro Trossard sealed the win with a late strike as Arsenal advanced to a home tie with Brighton.

Eze's early goal came after Bukayo Saka won possession and switched play to the left. A flick from Myles Lewis-Skelly left Gabriel Martinelli's low cross to Eze, who finished from close range. The club's visitors had the bulk of possession but struggled to convert control into clear chances against a compact Port Vale side that defended in numbers and drew sustained support from a Vale Park crowd of 16,326, the stadium's biggest this century.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made nine changes from the weekend draw with Manchester City and named a strong squad that included Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal on his debut and Christian Norgaard making his first start. Bukayo Saka returned from a hamstring problem and played an hour before being replaced by 15-year-old Max Dowman to applause from travelling supporters. Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel also came off the bench.