The Pre-Game Build-up: Depth in Focus
Following the emotional high of the Premier League draw against Manchester City, Mikel Arteta was quick to pivot focus to the Carabao Cup, emphasizing the necessity of squad depth and rotation for the trip to Vale Park. Making nine changes to the starting XI, the manager handed full debuts to players like Christian Nørgaard and gave Kepa Arrizabalaga his first start in goal. Critically, Bukayo Saka also returned to the starting lineup, playing controlled minutes after his recent hamstring injury.
Arteta spoke about the opportunity for those waiting in the wings:
"It's a lot of players that are going to take part in that, and they fully deserve the minutes. Kepa, for sure, is one of them. His attitude, the way he supports us in every aspect of his role in the best possible manner. All these players deserve more minutes than what they're getting."
The Match: A Tale of Two Goals
The match at a raucous Vale Park was settled by two moments of quality, though the final scoreline doesn't fully reflect the difficult evening Arsenal endured against a passionate League One side.
It took just eight minutes for the breakthrough, and it was a moment of significance. Gabriel Martinelli played a ball into the box, which was cleverly flicked by the overlapping Myles Lewis-Skelly into the path of Eberechi Eze. The club's big summer signing made no mistake, calmly slotting home for his first goal in an Arsenal shirt.
Despite taking the early lead and dominating possession (over 80% for long periods), Arsenal struggled to break down a dogged Port Vale defense. The hosts, roared on by their packed stadium, grew in confidence, particularly in the second half, using long throws and direct play to unsettle the visiting Premier League defense. It took the introduction of key substitutes, including Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard, to finally put the game to bed.
In the 85th minute, William Saliba threaded a great ball through to Leandro Trossard. The Belgian cut inside confidently and rifled a low shot past Joe Gauci to double the lead and seal Arsenal's passage into the fourth round. Crucially, Bukayo Saka was withdrawn safely after 63 planned minutes, replaced by the exciting young talent Max Dowman.
Post-Match Reflections and Accolades
Post-game, Mikel Arteta expressed relief and pride in navigating a potentially tricky fixture while managing his squad, highlighting the difference between league and cup football.
Mikel Arteta: "The biggest thing that was at stake was your reputation as a club, and that's a big thing. We knew the crowd would be with them if we gave them anything. We showed great character to win with players that haven't really played together before. Eberechi [Eze] is a player who has to be in touch with the ball, and we will find ways to do that. He should have scored another two, I think!"
The official Man of the Match was awarded to Myles Lewis-Skelly. The young left-back, making his first start of the season, was instrumental in the opener and displayed superb confidence, earning the highest match rating of the night for his attacking contribution and defensive solidity.
Eze himself reflected on his milestone:
Eberechi Eze: "It's a special day for me and my family, scoring my first goal. It's an honour to be playing for this club, and hopefully, it's the first of many."
The victory sets up a home tie against Brighton & Hove Albion in the next round of the competition.
Image Credits https://www.arsenal.com/news/best-40-photos-our-victory-over-port-vale