Port Vale exit the Carabao Cup with a 2-0 defeat to Premier League side Arsenal in a historic night at Vale Park.
Vale started the better in front of a lively record-breaking crowd at Vale Park, but an Eberechi Eze goal seven minutes into the game gave the visitors the lead.
The Gunners doubled their lead with five minutes to play as Leandro Trossard fired home from outside the box to send Arsenal into round four.
Following Saturday's late drama, the Gaffer made four changes to his starting eleven with Headley, Curtis, Walters and Hall coming into the side, replacing Gordon, Garrity, Byers and Cole. Connor Hall captained the Valiants with Ben Garrity on the bench for this evening’s game.
Mikel Arteta made ten changes to his side that were also involved in late drama at the weekend. William Saliba was the only Gunner to keep his place in the eleven, with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Martinelli all starting under the lights at Vale Park.
Arteta’s men got us underway at Vale Park, but it was the Vale who started off on the front foot. Gabriel was causing the Arsenal defence troubles down the right, forcing a couple of long throw opportunities that couldn’t be capitalised on.
It was the visitors who took the lead, though with seven minutes on the clock. After some pressured build up, Martinelli cut the ball back to Eze who had time and slotted the ball into the bottom corner leaving Gauci no chance.
Arsenal looked certain to double their advantage with ten minutes of the first half to play as Eze was slipped in behind by Merino. However, Eze was swiftly met by the on-rushing Gauci who made a terrific save to deny the England international.
Darren Moore’s side weren’t giving up, though, as a flurry of balls into the box as half time approached, got the Vale faithful back on their feet, urging their team forward.
The second half started in similar fashion to the first. Vale were pressurising the Arsenal defence with long throws and free kicks into the box, before the Londoners settled into possession.
The boss made his first two changes of the evening just gone the hour mark, as Garrity and Clark entered the field, replacing Hall and Gabriel.
Two more Vale changes followed five minutes later. Paton and Curtis made way for Cole and Stockley.
As the final fifteen minutes approached, Cole came close to finding an equaliser as his swerving long-range effort went just over the crossbar, with Kepa looking troubled.
Arsenal responded with a big chance of their own. Dowman’s lofted through ball found Gyokeres who looked certain to make it 2-0, but a brilliant block from Humphreys diverted the Swede’s effort over the bar.
The North London outfit did get their second goal of the game with five minutes remaining at Vale Park. A long ball over the Vale defence to Trossard was gathered by the winger before he cut inside and unleashed a powerful effort into Gauci’s bottom corner.
Port Vale Starting XI: Gauci, Headley, Hall ©, Gabriel (Clark 65’) (Ojo 81’), Curtis (Stockley 70’), Walters, Paton (Cole 70’), Croasdale, Debrah, Humphreys, Hall (Garrity 65’)
Unused Substitutions: Marosi, Heneghan, Byers, Faal
Arsenal Starting XI: Kepa, Saliba, Mosquera, White (Gabriel 71’), Saka (Dowman 61’), Eze (Rice 81’), Martinelli (Trossard 81’), Norgaard, Nwaneri, Merino (Gyokeres 7’), Lewis-Skelly
Unused Substitutions: Raya, Timber, Calafiori, Zubimendi
