Arsenal's 16-year-old goalkeeper Jack Porter instantly creates Carabao Cup history in clash against Bolton
09/25/2024 01:46 PM
Jack Porter has created Carabao Cup history by becoming the youngest goalkeeper to ever play in the competition.
The Arsenal keeper has been selected to start in the third round tie against Bolton at the Emirates Stadium at just 16 years and 72 days old.
A goalkeeper mini-crisis has led to the Hale End star being given a shock opportunity for the first team.
Mikel Arteta was unwilling to risk No.1 David Raya, who was seen limping with a bandage around his right leg following the recent 2-2 draw at Manchester City.
Back-up goalkeeper Neto – a loan arrival from Bournemouth – is cup-tied having featured for the Cherries in their defeat to West Ham in the previous round.
Meanwhile, last season’s third-choice Karl Hein is on loan at Spanish side Real Valladolid, with summer signing Tommy Setford – an £840,000 arrival from Ajax – currently injured.
It has led to Porter, who made the bench in last week’s Champions League draw away at Atalanta, to make his senior debut.
In doing so, he has become the League Cup’s youngest goalkeeper in its 64-year history.
Porter has broken a 61-year record which was previously held by Martin Townsend, who started for Fulham at the age of 17 years, three months and ten days in a 5-3 win over Colchester United in September 1963.
Incredibly, Porter has shattered the record by over 12 months.
But despite his tender age, Porter is only 15th on the list of the youngest players in League Cup history.
Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott sits top of the pile having been just 15 years, five months and 21 days old when he featured for Fulham in their 3-1 win away at Millwall in 2018.
Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham is in 11th place, with the ex-Birmingham star 16 years, one month and eight days old when he played in the Blues’ 3-0 defeat at Portsmouth in August 2019.
Porter’s outing against the Trotters has also seen him become Arsenal’s youngest player to feature in the League Cup.
Though he is not the club’s all-time youngest footballer, with that honour going to versatile midfielder Ethan Nwaneri.
Nwaneri not only created Arsenal history, but Premier League history too when he came off the bench away at Brentford aged 15 years and 181 days in September 2022.
The England youth international has started alongside Porter against the Trotters, with the Gunners hoping to seal their place in the fourth round.
