The arrival of Eddie Nketiah, an 18-year-old released by Chelsea in 2015 who won a spot at the club after a trial of over a week, did not seem like it was going to change the flow of a contest which had been frustratingly in favour of an impressive and composed Norwich side. Not more than a minute after he had come on, however, the 18-year-old would have started a comeback that means Arsenal stay in the Carabo Cup, having had to draw upon all their reserves to knock out a very impressive Norwich side in their fourth-round clash at the Emirates Stadium.
The Canaries brought along a sizeable travelling cohort, selling out their Clock End Allocation and then some, and they were rewarded with a decent start to proceedings as Josh Murphy earned a corner with a good run down the left. The resulting delivery into the box caused early problems for a makeshift defence before they managed to get the ball away.
Then Harrison Reed managed to get Murphy in behind, although he would proceed to scuff up his shot; Mario Vrancic, the scorer of a penalty and free kick in their 3-1 win over Brentford in the last round, would get across into a box that was populated only by red shirts, allowing a comfortable collection for Matt Macey, having a big night in goal with David Ospina out.
Soon after, the Gunners would make their first entry into the box thanks to Ashley Maitland-Niles, who would combine with Oliver Giroud but blow his shot over the bar after he’d grabbed possession from Christoph Zimmermann's hasty clearance. Arsenal would get down the flank again not a minute later when Maitland-Niles once again managed to get the ball into the box, but it was booted away by James Husband.
Vranic would manage to find himself in acres of space after James Maddison had sent a fine ball to him, but instead of looking at his options he went it alone and couldn’t get his shot on target. Arsenal would respond by ramping up the pressure, with Eleny’s shot going over the bar thanks to a deflection and Maitland-Niles once again getting very involved to put a fine cross into Holding, who drew a good save from Gunn.
Norwich, however, were not breaking and proved to be well drilled at the back with quality in the final third lacking. They would be sorely punished for that when Tom Trybull won possession for the visitors in the middle of the park before releasing James Maddison, who in turn managed to put a through ball to Josh Murphy who held his composure with a fine chip that would put the visitors in front, and not undeservedly.
Maddison was energised, like the rest of his team, and it would take an important interception from Mathieu Debuchy to prevent Murphy from bearing down on goal again after Maddison had tried to repeat his earlier assist. Theo Walcott would come close to levelling twice before halftime, but Gunn would produce two good saves to send the Canaries in front at the break.
Arsenal deserved to go in down at half time but they were determined to gain parity and Iwobi burst into the box two minutes after the restart although he lacked the composure that The Gunners had sorely needed during the opening 45. Iwobi would then get into the box again to shift the ball to Wilshere, although he couldn’t get an effort on target and Norwich cleared.
They could have tested Matt Macey seriously, but Nélson Oliveranpassed up the chance to test him after being given the ball by Maddison and he managed to draw Eleneny into a foul when bearing down on goal that could easily have seen the Egyptian leave the field. Ivo Pinto would life a dangerous cross into for the box but Murphy could only head the ball straight at Matt Macey.
Murphy would be the next to flash a ball across the goal, but he would find his cross punched away by Macey. Francis Coquelin went in late on Maddison and at first, appeared to have escaped punishment, but would be called back by the referee to take a yellow card.
Arsenal were pushing their way back into proceedings, but Norwich were matching them pound for pound and Murphy, sent through Vracic, went for a first tie strike that rose over the bar when face to face with Macey. Vrancic would then be the one guilty of missing a golden opportunity when he smashed his strike wide of the post, having earned himself the time and space for his attempt brilliantly via a cutback.
Walcott would have his third major attempt when his header went just over the bar and after that Holding would shortly get a header from a corner, with the Gunners finally managing to put a concerted period of pressure upon the visitors. It would pay off for Arsenal, with the 18-year-old Eddie Nketiah getting on the end of Coquelin’s flick on to level the score after the Frenchman had beaten his man at the near post, in the process becoming the first player born after Arsene Wenger was appointed manager to score for the club. With home advantage and momentum on their side, they began to search for the winner and had Husband brought down Walcott just a couple of yards further inside the box then they would have had a penalty’s it was, they had a dangerous free-kick but the Frenchman, who had been celebrating so virtuously after his fine late goal last Thursday, had his head in his hands as the free kick hit the wall.
To extra time it went. Norwich had every right to be down, but they certainly were not out and less than a minute had gone past the restart before Olivera had managed to earn a corner after Debuchy and then Holding had to block Trybull’s shot off the half volley. Gunn was forced to pull out another fine stop to deny Theo Walcott, once again, but Norwich could not hold out and Eddie Nekitah’s debut would turn extra special as he rose highest to head home Elneny’s corner. The 18-year-old could have had a hat-trick as he almost pounced on Husband’s backpass.
Giroud couldn’t turn the ball past Gunn at close range before we got to half time in extra time; shortly after Arsenal worked a corner but Eleneny could only shoot straight at the tireless Gunn. He would then be again called to deny Nekitah a hat-trick with a strong palm towards the right-hand side of the post.
Nekitah was now running the show and he set up Willock for what he thought was a 1-2 only to see his team-mate blast the shot over the bar. He was at it again only a minute later, bending his shot across the post and just wide. It was typical that once Arsenal had escaped the danger of a Wes Hoolahan Cross, that the star of the show would hold onto the ball and hold onto the lead that saw them through into the draw for the next round.
