Ethan Nwaneri impresses as Arsenal beat Preston in Carabao Cup | Carabao Cup

In Jorginho, Champions League winner Kai Havertz and four-time Premier League champion Raheem Sterling, Arsenal had a European Championship winner ready to make life difficult for Preston, but one name in particular stood out from the exuberant away game at Deepdale: Ethan Nwaneri . They sang “One of our own” from the 17-year-old from Enfield. A special talent, that's for sure.

In just his second start for Mikel Arteta's side, Nwaneri shone among the decorated names as Arsenal comfortably cruised into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup by comfortably beating the Championship side. The teenager scored a superb goal, his third of the competition so far, clipping the crossbar with another thunderous shot and keeping Preston dancing to his tune all night. He received a standing ovation from the Arsenal fans when he was, fittingly, replaced late in the evening by a substitute named Heaven. Preston's epic 16-15 penalty shootout win over Fulham in round three was a distant memory for the home crowd as Arsenal had found their rhythm.

Preston were the last team outside the top flight still in the competition, but carrying the flag was not Paul Heckingbottom's concern. The Preston boss made six changes to the side that drew the Premier League contenders' visit to Plymouth on Saturday. It wasn't exactly a tribute to the romance of the cup, although it may have been a reaction to his team blowing a three-goal lead at Home Park. Arsenal had far greater resources to implement sweeping changes and gradually exploited the Championship side's weaknesses.

Arteta handed Tommy Setford, the 18-year-old goalkeeper signed from Ajax Amsterdam in the summer, his first-team debut and Nwaneri had another chance to impress. The attacking midfielder, who scored two goals in the win over Bolton in the preliminary round, put in another performance. Otherwise it was an Arsenal team with a lot of experience and pedigree.

Setford was a spectator during the first half. Preston defender Liam Lindsay should have troubled the debutant twice but sent a free header across goal from a free-kick from Sam Greenwood and fired a shot over when the striker found him unmarked in the box following a corner. These were opportunities that could not be missed against a dominant, superior opponent.

Arsenal were guilty of exaggerating in and around Preston's penalty area early on. However, Nwaneri was an irrepressible, intelligent force. It was a performance that showed both immense potential and finished product. The visitors constantly extended the game to encourage Sterling and Gabriel Martinelli to attack their full-backs. The policy paid off when Martinelli was sent flying by Preston right-back Kaine Kesler-Hayden. From the resulting free-kick, which the Brazilian directed at the back post, Jakub Kiwior headed it to Gabriel Jesus, who fired an unstoppable finish past Freddie Woodman.

The Preston keeper routinely parried Nwaneri when Mikel Merino fed the teenager from a cross from Sterling. But Woodman could do nothing about the impressive performance which gave Arsenal the deserved consolation of a two-goal lead. Nwaneri received a pass from Jesus 22 meters from goal, cut inside with his left foot and curled the ball precisely into the top corner, where Woodman was rooted to the spot in the penalty area. It was a finish that does justice to the overall outstanding performance of the England U19 international.

Nwaneri would also have received an assist if Jesus had botched a free header following an inviting cross from the midfielder. It didn't matter. Seconds later, with Arsenal still playing with the hosts, Kiwior secured his second assist of the night with a superb shot which substitute Havertz headed powerfully into the near post. Havertz failed to score a second header from a Jorginho corner as he was deflected off the goal line, while Woodman prevented Arsenal from falling into disarray with a superb double save from Jesus and Sterling.

It took stoic defense and a bit of luck to prevent Arsenal from scoring any more points. Nwaneri turned a defender around before hitting the top of the crossbar with a left-footed shot. Preston improved in the closing stages, Heckingbottom's substitutions made a noticeable difference, but the previously unemployed Setford was able to cancel out Jeppe Okkels' angled shot. Havertz or Sterling should have scored in the final seconds when they got on goal. The former selflessly parried to Sterling after going around Woodman, but Preston substitute Brad Potts brilliantly saved the ball off the line. It was a rare escape for the Championship side.