Nigeria international, Alex Iwobi, played for 17 minutes as Arsenal defeated Blackpool 2-1 in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night.
Two goals from either half earned Unai Emery’s men a not so convincing victory over their opponents from League One.
Stephan Lichtsteiner scored his first goal since joining the club to put the Gunners ahead in the first half before youngster, Emile Smith-Rowe doubled their advantage in the second half with his first senior goal at the Emirates.
Paulie O’Connor pulled one back six minutes after the hour mark for the visitors, who would not go down without a fight before their goalscorer, O’Connor and Arsenal’s Matteo Guendouzi were shown their marching orders.
It was not the best of games from Iwobi, who replaced Smith-Rowe in the second half, and his team mates, but they advance to the quarterfinal, and stretched their unbeaten run to 12games.
Up next for Arsenal in the EFL Cup is a quarterfinal clash with North London rivals, Tottenham, who defeated West Ham United 3-1 also on Wednesday.
BLUES SURVIVE DERBY SCARE
Cesc Fabregas turned out the hero as Chelsea laboured to a 3-2 win over their legendary former player, Frank Lampard and his Derby County side.
Lampard’s Derby had defeated Manchester United in the previous round, setting up a fairytale clash between him and his former employers at Stamford Bridge, where he made his name.
However, despite their spirited performance, Lampard and his side were undone by two own goals, first by Fikayo Tomori, on loan from Chelsea, and Richard Keogh in an entertaining first half.
Derby did get back into the match through Jack Marriott, who cancelled out Tomori’s opener before Martyn Waghorn latched on to a brilliant pass from another Chelsea loanee, Mason Mount, to slot home the equaliser.
But just before the break, Fabregas restored Chelsea’s lead with a goal that turned out to be the winner following a cagey second half affair from both sides.
At the end, the Blues book their place in the quarterfinal and will face Bournemouth, while Lampard and his side rue what could have been.
Full Results
Arsenal 2-1 Blackpool
Chelsea 3-2 Derby County
West Ham Utd 1-3 Tottenham
Middlesbrough 1-0 Crystal Palace
