Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
by Layth Yousif 
at Vale Park

EBERECHI EZE grabbed his first goal for Arsenal as the Gunners eased past Port Vale 2-0 to reach the fourth round of the League Cup, where they will now play Brighton at home.

An eighth minute opener from the north Londoners’ £60m summer signing Eze ensured Mikel Arteta’s side avoided a potential banana skin against Darren Moore’s battling League One side at an atmospheric Vale Park on Wednesday evening.

In front of 16,326 — the Valiants’ biggest crowd since the 1990s — Eze’s early strike was supplemented by Leo Trossard’s 87th goal which doubled the visitors’ lead in the Potteries.

Precocious 15-year-old Max Dowman replaced a hobbling Bukayo Saka midway through the second half after the England international suffered rough treatment from the Vale backline, but Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was pleased with the result, confirming Saka was fine.

“No injuries,” Arteta said, adding: “I’m happy with the win, a clean sheet, and even after nine changes we still played really well.”

The victory underlined Arsenal’s strength in depth, with Gerd Muller trophy winner Viktor Gyokeres also making an appearance off the bench, to leave appreciative Vale boss Moore, hailing his third-tier team, saying: “They showed courage and determination and did the club proud.

“We played against an elite team, a top, top team, and we stayed in contention. I have got to be proud.”