Eberechi Eze scored his first goal for Arsenal as the Premier League title challengers beat a stubborn Port Vale side 2-0 to advance to the last 16 of the EFL Cup.

Eze's goal arrived after just eight minutes, as Mikel Arteta selected a strong lineup for Wednesday's tie at Vale Park. There was a hint of fortune about the way the ball reached him as Myles Lewis-Skelly flicked at Gabriel Martinelli's pass without making contact, but the England international coolly slotted home.

Ethan Nwaneri saw an effort deflect wide and Eze fired straight at Joe Gauci after being fed by Mikel Merino, though the third-tier hosts improved in the final 10 minutes of the first half, with a couple of set-pieces forcing the visitors into panicked clearances.

Mikel Arteta introduced 15-year-old Max Dowman for the returning Bukayo Saka just after the hour mark, but his team still failed to turn their territorial dominance into more goals.

Loose passes from Cristhian Mosquera and Kepa Arrizabalaga almost put Arsenal in trouble, while Port Vale substitute Devante Cole fired narrowly over the crossbar.

But after Viktor Gyokeres was kept out by a wonderful block from Cameron Humphreys, Arsenal got their clinching goal four minutes from time. 

Leandro Trossard brought down William Saliba's lofted pass, skipped inside and fired a reverse shot into the bottom-left corner, with Port Vale's appeals for offside falling upon deaf ears. 

Data Debrief: Eze up and running

 

 

But Eze started this match and got his second goal involvement in as many games, finishing with a game-high two shots on target and 0.45 expected goals (xG).

Arsenal have now progressed from 18 of their 19 EFL Cup ties against teams from the third or fourth tiers of English football, only failing when they were memorably beaten by Bradford City in the 2012-13 quarter-finals.