Best rated players in Carabao Cup: Only Liverpool star and Man Utd trio rank higher than Nwaneri

England U19 international of Nigerian descent, Ethan Nwaneri continues to prove he is a special talent, starring as Arsenal thrashed Championship club Preston North End 3-0 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night. 

The Hale End Academy product scored a brace on his EFL debut last month against Bolton Wanderers, and he followed that up with another brilliant goal in a convincing win at the Deepdale Stadium.

Gabriel Jesus fired Arsenal in front for his first goal of the season, with twenty-four minutes played.

Thirty-three minutes into the contest, the 17-year-old curled in a superb effort to double the visitors' advantage, before super-sub Kai Havertz wrapped up the scoring with a stunning header at minute 57.

Nwaneri was unlucky not to score his fourth goal in an Arsenal shirt when his shot hit the top of the crossbar in the 76th minute, four minutes before making way for  Ayden Heaven.

The dual-national attacking midfielder was cheered by the traveling fans as he was subbed off late in the game. 

According to the statisticians at Whoscored, Nwaneri is the fifth highest rated player (8.49) in the Carabao Cup for players with at least two appearances in the competition. 

Nwaneri had a rating of 8.48 in the win versus Bolton Wanderers, bettered only by Raheem Sterling , while he was awarded 8.50 for his man of the match performance against Preston North End.

Only Liverpool's Cody Gakpo (9.37) and Manchester United trio Alejandro Garnacho (9.04), Casemiro (8.57) and Bruno Fernandes (8.55) rank higher than Nwaneri in the best rated players in the Carabao Cup.

Nwaneri has now appeared in eight games for Arsenal's first team, logging 207 minutes. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit: arsenal.com

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