Mikel Arteta hailed Arsenal’s “hungry” youngsters after Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah on Monday fired their side into the FA Cup fifth round with a 2-1 win against AFC Bournemouth.
Arteta turned to youth at Dean Court, and Saka, Nketiah and Joe Willock repaid the Arsenal manager’s faith with influential displays that secured a trip to third-tier Portsmouth.
Saka gave Arsenal an early lead as the 18-year-old fullback bagged his third goal of the season with a superb strike.
Photo: AFP
Nketiah got the second before the interval to ensure that Arteta took another step toward emulating his FA Cup triumphs as an Arsenal player in 2014 and 2015.
Sam Surridge got one back for Bournemouth in the closing minutes, but it was too late to salvage a replay.
“I’m very pleased. Always tough to come here and win. We’ve done it with a young team as well,” Arteta said. “I have a lot of faith in them. I think they are developing really well. They are willing and hungry and will only get better.”
Languishing in 10th place in the English Premier League after failing to win any of their past three games, this was a welcome boost for Arteta, as Arsenal built on their hard-fought draw at Chelsea last week.
It was Arsenal’s third win in eight matches under Arteta in all competitions, with just one defeat in that run.
It was not all plain sailing by the seaside for Arteta, who added: “We scored two fantastic goals, but after that we became a little bit sloppy and I didn’t like that very much.”
Arteta’s first match in charge of Arsenal was a 1-1 Premier League draw at Bournemouth in December, but his team looked far more accomplished this time, even without several key players.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was still suspended, so 18-year-old striker Gabriel Martinelli started for Arsenal.
Martinelli had scored in Arsenal’s past two Premier League games to reach 10 goals for the season.
However, the Brazilian is not just a poacher and he showed his creative vision, as Arsenal made a perfect start in the fifth minute.
As a 22-pass Arsenal move approached an eye-catching crescendo, Willock’s surge opened up the Bournemouth defense.
Willock picked out Martinelli, who deftly moved the ball onto Saka when a more selfish player would have shot, and Saka smashed a thunderous drive into the roof of the net from an acute angle.
Arteta had made five changes from the Chelsea match, with Nketiah making his first Arsenal start since January last year against Blackpool in the FA Cup.
Unable to contain Willock and Saka, Bournemouth were carved open as the midfielder’s pass found the defender in acres of space on the left.
Saka’s cross into the six-yard box was perfect for Nketiah and he slotted in his first Arsenal goal since May last year.
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