EFL Cup debutants: Kaden Braithwaite, Toby Collyer, Lucas Bergvall, Kadan Young, Nico O’Reilly, Josh Nichols and Jack Porter


Arsenal’s teenage goalkeeper Porter was handed a shock start in their EFL Cup tie against Bolton with number one choice David Raya out with a thigh injury, and summer signing Neto cup-tied having already played in the competition for parent club Bournemouth.

Porter is highly rated by Arsenal and signed a scholarship with them in the summer, with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta saying the 16-year-old frequently trains with the first team.

The England Under-17s player was part of the squad that travelled to Manchester City on Sunday, and featured on the bench for Arsenal’s draw at Atalanta.

Porter has made six appearances for the Arsenal Under-18s, conceding 12 goals and keeping one clean sheet.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, said: “We told him yesterday and he was over the moon. He spoke straightaway to his family and they were not prepared for that.

“It is a big step, a big occasion for them and I think they were nervous about it. But he reacted really well, he was really composed in training and his team-mates helped him, too. What an experience and what a way to break a record.”



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