Arsenal's 16-year-old goalkeeper Jack Porter creates instant Carabao Cup history in clash against Bolton
Jack Porter has created Carabao Cup history by becoming the youngest goalkeeper to play in the competition.
He Arsenal The goalkeeper has been selected to start the third round match against Bolton at the Emirates Stadium at just 16 years and 72 days old.
A mini-goalkeeping crisis has led to the Hale End star being handed a surprise first-team opportunity.
Mikel Arteta was not willing to risk number 1 David Raya, who was seen limping with a bandage around his right leg after the recent 2-2 draw at Manchester City.
Back-up goalkeeper Neto, on loan from Bournemouth, is set to feature in the Cup after featuring for the Cherries in their defeat to West Ham in the previous round.
Meanwhile, Karl Hein, last season's third choice, is on loan at Spanish club Real Valladolid, and summer signing Tommy Setford (an £840,000 arrival from Ajax) is currently injured.
This has led to Porter, who was on the bench for last week's Champions League draw with Atalanta, making his first-team debut.
In doing so, he has become the youngest goalkeeper in the League Cup's 64-year history.
Porter has broken a 61-year-old record previously held by Martin Townsend, who started for Fulham aged 17 years, three months and ten days in a 5-3 win over Colchester United in September 1963.
Incredibly, Porter has now broken the record by over 12 months.
But despite his tender age, Porter is only 15th on the list of youngest players in League Cup history.
Liverpool midfield player Harvey Elliott He is ranked first, having been just 15 years, five months and 21 days old when he played for Fulham in their 3-1 win at Millwall in 2018.
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Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham He is ranked 11th, and the former Birmingham star was 16 years, one month and eight days old when he played in the Blues' 3-0 defeat at Portsmouth in August 2019.
Porter's performance against the Trotters has also made him the youngest Arsenal player to feature in the League Cup.
Although he is not the club's youngest ever player, that honour belongs to versatile midfielder Ethan Nwaneri.
Nwaneri not only created Arsenal history, but History of the Premier League Also when he came off the bench against Brentford aged 15 years and 181 days in September 2022.
The England youth international started alongside Porter against the Trotters, with the Gunners hoping to seal their place in the fourth round.
