Arsenal advanced to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a routine 2-0 win over Port Vale that underlined the depth of Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Eberechi Eze marked his first goal for the club with an early strike at Vale Park, settling any nerves before Leandro Trossard sealed victory late on.
It was a largely uneventful evening for the visitors, who enjoyed long spells of possession but rarely needed to move out of second gear against Darren Moore’s League One side.
Arteta rotated heavily from the weekend’s Premier League draw with Manchester City, handing opportunities to several fringe players and giving Kepa Arrizabalaga his debut in goal.
Bukayo Saka captained the side in his continued recovery from a hamstring problem, while 15-year-old Max Dowman came off the bench to gain further first-team experience.
The breakthrough arrived inside eight minutes when Gabriel Martinelli’s low cross was cleverly left by Myles Lewis-Skelly, allowing Eze to sweep home from the centre of the area.
The £68 million summer signing from Crystal Palace almost added a second soon after but was denied by Vale goalkeeper Joe Gauci.
Despite dominating possession, Arsenal’s attacking intensity dipped, with Ethan Nwaneri flashing wide from distance and Martinelli seeing a half-chance smothered.
Vale attempted to rally with long throws and set pieces, but Arrizabalaga remained largely untroubled as the Gunners defended comfortably.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Arsenal dictating tempo without overexerting themselves, while Vale looked to frustrate and play on scraps.
Saka departed just after the hour following a knock to his ankle, though the substitution appeared precautionary rather than forced.
Dowman’s introduction drew light-hearted chants from the home crowd, but the teenager showed glimpses of promise down the right flank.
As the game entered its final stages, Port Vale pushed forward in search of an equaliser, offering Arsenal the chance to counter with more space.
Gyokeres, introduced late on, was denied by a last-ditch block, but Trossard made no mistake when he latched onto William Saliba’s long ball and finished calmly on 86 minutes.
The Belgian’s strike confirmed progression and ensured Arsenal’s evening ended with a clean sheet and minutes spread across the squad.
For Arteta, the controlled nature of the performance will be welcomed, with the Gunners able to rest key players and still progress without alarm.
