Arsenal brush past Bolton 5-1 to reach Carabao Cup last-16

Arsenal 5 (Rice 16, Nwaneri 37 49, Sterling 64, Havertz 78)

Bolton Wanderers 1 (Collins 53)

The League Cup, in its various guises, has been a competition which, for whichever reason, has often eluded Arsenal.

While the Gunners have 13 English league titles to their name, and a record 14 FA Cups, their only successes in England's third competition came in a six-year period in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Charlie Nicholas' crowning moment for the Gunners came in 1987 when he scored two Wembley goals as Arsenal came from behind to beat the dominant team of the era, Liverpool, in the final of the then Littlewoods Cup - the first time Liverpool had lost when Ian Rush had scored.

Then, in 1993, Paul Merson and Steve Morrow were the scorers as Arsenal beat Sheffield Wednesday in the final of what had morphed into the Coca-Cola Cup, the first of two Wembley final successes for the Gunners over the Owls that year.

That game is maybe better known for what happened in the post-match celebrations - Tony Adams throwing Morrow over his shoulder and breaking the Irishman's arm in the process.

Those victories bookended the incredibly successful George Graham reign, but since then it has been used - mainly by Arsene Wenger - as a breeding ground for young talent, and an opportunity to rest big-name players.

Mikel Arteta has, to an extent, continued that trend, while often playing enough regulars to give his team a fighting chance - a pattern which continued this evening against League One Bolton Wanderers, in this the third round of the competition now known as the Carabao Cup.

Arsenal are in the middle of a run of seven games in less than three weeks, so it was somewhat of a surprise that there were not more little-known names on Arteta's team sheet when it was produced an hour before kick-off.

Declan Rice, one of the regulars some may have felt would not start, opened the scoring after 16 minutes, receiving the ball just outside the area from debutant Josh Nichols, shifting the ball on to his right foot and planting a shot past Luke Southwood in the Bolton goal.

Also starting were Ricardo Calafiori, Jorginho, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka - what must he do to earn a rest in either the colours of the Gunners or England? As was Raheem Sterling - but he needs minutes.

Sixteen-year-old goalkeeper Jack Porter started between the sticks, but had an otherwise relatively strong side in front of him.

A healthy crowd watched on, although probably a few less than the official 'tickets sold' number of 59,056 - with the Lancastrians taking up almost all of their extended allocation behind the Clock End goal.

Arsenal doubled their lead after 37 minutes. Myles Lewis-Skelly split the Bolton defence with a pass to Sterling, whose pace took him away from his marker. Sterling Crossed for Ethan Nwaneri, who couldn't miss.

Sterling then drew a fine diving save from Southwood before Jesus' shot was just the wrong side of the left-hand post as Arsenal stepped up a gear.

But when Nwaneri scored his second - and Arsenal's third - four minutes into the second half, the game was safe. Rice nicking the ball high up the pitch and playing in Nwaneri, who finished low under the goalkeeper.

Aaron Collins reduced the arrears shortly afterwards when he received the ball from John McAtee, ran half the length of the pitch and rounded Porter before slotting home, sending the visiting Trotters wild.

But that was all the they could muster, and Arsenal had the last laugh - Sterling tapping in from close range for 4-1 after 64 minutes before Kai Havertz hooked home for five on 78 minutes.

The Gunners have, and will have, far more difficult games this season, but they will hope it can provide the springboard to a third success in this most unfashionable of cups.

Teams:

Arsenal: Porter, Saka (Martinelli 71), Jesus, Kiwior, Jorginho, Sterling (Kabia 81), Calafiori (Kacurri 70), Rice (Havertz 62), Lewis-Skelly (Gabriel 62), Nichols, Nwaneri,

Bolton: Southwood, Santos, Sheehan, Dacres-Cogley, Toal, Collins (Charles 79), Forino (Johnston 71), Dempsey (Matete 69), Williams, Arfield (Thomason 69), McAtee (Adeboyejo 78)

Referee: Josh Smith

Picture: Charlie Stong