Eze scores first Arsenal goal in League Cup win - Man City, Tottenham, Newcastle also advance

LONDON, England:

Eberechi Eze scored his first goal for Arsenal in a 2-0 win at Port Vale in the English League Cup yesterday, while Manchester City, Newcastle and Tottenham also beat third-tier opponents to advance to the last 16.

Making his fifth appearance for his boyhood team following a summer move from Crystal Palace, Eze stroked home a cool finish in the eighth minute after running onto Myles Lewis-Skelly's deft flick. Leandro Trossard added the second in the 86th.

Arsenal fielded a heavily rotated team for a competition that likely ranks lowest on their list of priorities this season, even if manager Mikel Arteta is under increasing pressure to win the club's first major trophy since 2020.

Pep Guardiola did the same with Man City, yet started Phil Foden and saw the England midfielder score the first goal from outside the area and set up the second for Savinho in a 2-0 win at Huddersfield.

Joao Palhinha's overhead kick was the highlight of Tottenham's 3-0 win over Doncaster, and both Joelinton and William Osula scored twice for defending champions Newcastle in their 4-1 home win over Bradford.

The draw for the last 16 was made after the games and Newcastle will continue their title defence at home to Tottenham in one of four all-Premier League matchups, along with Arsenal-Brighton, Liverpool-Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton-Chelsea.

Wrexham, the globally popular second-tier team co-owned by "Deadpool" actor Ryan Reynolds, will play Welsh rival Cardiff at home and another team from Wales, Swansea, were drawn to play Man City. - AP