Former Arsenal and Brighton defender Matthew Upson has commended Ethan Nwaneri for his impressive display in Saturday’s match against Brighton.
Nwaneri was selected to replace the injured Bukayo Saka on the right wing and delivered a standout performance, justifying the manager’s decision.
The teenager opened the scoring in the 16th minute, capitalizing on the space left by Pervis Estupinan.
He latched onto a lofted pass from Mikel Merino, then cut into the box before firing a shot that squirmed past Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
This strike not only handed Arsenal the lead but also saw Nwaneri enter the record books.
He became the first player to score more than one Premier League goal for Arsenal before his 18th birthday and joined an elite list of players to score multiple Premier League goals before turning 18, including Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Danny Cadamarteri, James Milner, and Federico Macheda.
Despite Nwaneri’s early goal, Brighton fought back in the second half.
In the 61st minute, Joao Pedro equalized for the host with a calm penalty, sending Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya the wrong way.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Upson was full of praise for Nwaneri’s performance, highlighting his skill and composure on the ball.
Upson said, “What a good replacement Ethan Nwaneri is for Bukayo Saka. He fits the bill. The pace, body shape, and the lovely left foot he has got. Brighton get caught out.”
He continued, “Nwaneri shapes the ball onto his left foot and he slots it into the far post,” further lauding the young player’s maturity in such a crucial moment.
While Arsenal was unable to secure all three points, Nwaneri’s performance provided a silver lining, demonstrating the promising future of the club’s rising star.
