Arsene Wenger has predicted a bright future for teenager Edward Nketiah

Published on: 25 October 2017

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger predicted a bright future for teenager Edward Nketiah after his two goals helped the Gunners edge past Championship side Norwich City in extra time to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

Substitute Nketiah, 18, scored twice after Norwich had taken the lead when James Maddison's pass released Josh Murphy, who dinked a shot past Gunners debutant goalkeeper Matt Macey.

The Canaries, sixth in the second tier, had chances to make it 2-0, but Macey pushed away Nelson Oliveira's curled effort with Murphy and Mario Vrancic also missing chances.

Those misses proved crucial as Nketiah grabbed a late equaliser from close range only 15 seconds after coming on to leave it level after 90 minutes.

The England Under-19 international then headed in from Mohamed Elneny's corner for the winner.

The 18-year-old former Chelsea youth player is the first player born since Wenger started his reign as Arsenal boss in 1996 to score for the club.

"I brought him on because we needed to score goals and he can score goals. In the end we had eight strikers on the pitch," said Wenger.

"I knew he had quality, but when the team need you and you deliver, that's another quality you don't know about until you go on to the pitch.

"I'm impressed to think that he was not even conceived when I was already here! But it's good as well because life gives chances to young people. Hopefully he'll have a long career at Arsenal.

"We're proud to give chances to young players, it's part of our DNA, and we want to continue to do that.

"I don't know why exactly Chelsea let him go or if he decided to leave, but young players more and more nowadays travel from one club to another. We're happy to have him.

"I can't remember a young player having such an impact in a game like that. Until he came on we lacked ideas and creativity."

Credit: BBC

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