Bolton Wanderers’ hopes of continuing their promising cup run were dashed as they fell to a 5-1 defeat against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup, with Ian Evatt’s men struggling to contain a youthful Gunners side.
Bolton, who were full of confidence following a 5-2 league win over Reading just days before, arrived at the Emirates with a heavily rotated squad. Despite making seven changes, Evatt’s side started brightly and had opportunities to unsettle Arsenal.
John McAtee’s clever back-heel to Scott Arfield nearly produced an early breakthrough, but the midfielder could only fire over from close range. The Wanderers were also aggrieved by a penalty claim, with fans feeling Gabriel Jesus had fouled Josh Sheehan in the box. However, it was Arsenal who capitalised on the game’s first decisive moment, with Declan Rice curling home a composed finish after Scott Arfield missed a clearance.
It was Ethan Nwaneri who stole the show, though. Having already set records as Arsenal’s youngest-ever player, he showed maturity beyond his years by scoring twice either side of halftime. His first came from a simple finish after a low cross from Raheem Sterling, who was also making his first start for the Gunners. Nwaneri’s second was the result of a defensive error from Bolton, with the youngster pouncing after Rice won possession high up the pitch.
Bolton, to their credit, didn’t fold. Aaron Collins managed to pull one back for the visitors, taking advantage of McAtee’s through ball to round Arsenal goalkeeper Jack Porter, another young talent making his full debut. But any hope of a comeback was quickly dashed when Sterling restored Arsenal’s two-goal cushion, tapping in after Bukayo Saka’s effort was saved. Kai Havertz added a fifth late on to complete a tough night for Bolton.
Despite the loss, there were glimpses of promise for Bolton. Evatt’s side started the game well and had chances to score early on, but they were undone by Arsenal’s clinical finishing and defensive lapses.
Bolton’s campaign in League One has stuttered after coming agonisingly close to promotion last season, and this result will be another test of the team’s resilience. With a strong travelling support and flashes of attacking quality, they’ll be looking to rebound from this disappointment and refocus on their promotion push.
Our View
This defeat will be a tough one for Bolton fans to swallow, especially with the memories of their successful cup runs in years past. However, it’s clear that Arsenal were a cut above in this match, and the youthful energy and quality of Nwaneri were simply too much for Bolton to handle. It’s easy to see why Evatt made the decision to rotate his squad given their League One priorities, but they were still competitive for large spells of the game.
In terms of the bigger picture, Bolton should focus on the positives. The return of key players like Dion Charles, who was rested for this match, and the ability to challenge the likes of Reading in their league campaign shows the potential is there for a successful season. They may have come up short here, but Bolton’s focus now shifts back to the league, where a strong run of form could put them back in the promotion picture.
