CNN
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With victory almost assured, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta gave the green light to the substitutes’ bench. The changes were underway, history would be made.
In the 92nd minute, schoolboy Ethan Nwaneri replaced Fabio Vieira becoming, at 15 years and 181 days old, the youngest player to play in an English Premier League match. He is also the first 15-year-old to appear in an EPL game.
Arsenal fans greeted the teenager’s appearance by singing: “He leaves for school in the morning”.
The midfielder eclipsed the record set by Harvey Elliott, who now plays for Liverpool, when he appeared for Fulham at the age of 16 and 30 days in 2019.
Nwaneri is an attacking midfielder who impressed with the Under 21s and was promoted to Arsenal’s first team after the team suffered a string of injuries. Such was the speed of his rise that he still does not have a profile on the first team page of the club’s official website.
Class of 2007, the midfielder wasn’t even alive when Arsenal moved to the new Emirates Stadium 16 years ago.
He made his U18 debut at the age of 14 and scored. Last month he scored for the England U17 after coming off the bench.
Arteta said at the end of the match: “He trained a couple of times with us and yesterday (Saturday) I had the feeling that if the opportunity came he would make it.
“I think it sends a strong message about who we are as a club. I told him that he would be with us and that he had to be ready. He is ready. When he continued I said to him: ‘Congratulations and have fun’ ”.
Former England captain Gary Lineker tweeted: “Ethan Nwaneri, 15, has joined Arsenal. Hopefully it’s an early start so you can do your homework after the game. ”
Arsenal returned to the top of the table with a 3-0 win over Brentford thanks to goals from William Saliba, Gabriel Jesus and Vieira.
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