Arsenal youngster sets new club record and has Wayne Rooney in his sights | OneFootball

In our last game in the Premier League, we witnessed yet another impressive display from a player brimming with limitless potential. Ethan Nwaneri, despite being substituted prematurely due to a muscle injury, was arguably our best player of the first half against Brighton.

This was, in part, thanks to his brilliant finish that gave us the lead in that encounter. His performance during his time on the pitch wasn’t flawless, but there’s no doubt we would have had a better chance of avoiding the disappointing result if he had been available for the second half. As we know, the goal wasn’t enough to secure all three points, due to a combination of a very poor second half and a controversial penalty awarded to the hosts. However, the youngster’s strike was enough to cement his place in Arsenal’s history.

(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

His goal made him the first player in our history to score multiple goals before turning 18, with the last player to come even close being Cesc Fàbregas, who managed a single goal under the age of 18.

Additionally, it placed him in an elite group of players who have achieved this milestone in Premier League history. In fact, he became only the sixth player in Premier League history to score multiple goals before the age of 18. Federico Macheda, James Milner, Danny Cadamarteri, Michael Owen, and Wayne Rooney are the other names on this prestigious list, and Ethan Nwaneri is the newest addition.

To break the record outright, the young Englishman faces a daunting challenge, as he will turn 18 in March. Wayne Rooney’s record of seven goals before the age of 18 is the target he will need to surpass—an almighty task for a player of his age and potentially limited game time. It will be fascinating to see how many goals he can score before his 18th birthday. Until then, can we make an early prediction on his chances of breaking Rooney’s record? Yes or no?

BENJAMIN KENNETH.