The Arsenal u18s took on Crewe Alexandra in the third round of the FA Youth Cup on Saturday, and though the match finished with a very comfortable scoreline for the Gunners, it didn’t start out that way.

A mistake by Arsenal’s Noah Cooper gifted Crewe the opening goal in the first half, and they were still leading at the break.

Jack Wilshere’s side were last season’s runners-up in the cup, but they were on the verge of a shock elimination at the first hurdle this time around.

Step up Ethan Nwaneri. The youth midfielder was playing at centre-forward on this occasion, and within three minutes of the second half kicking off, he brought Arsenal level.

That first Arsenal goal came with an element of fortune, as Nwaneri drove forwards before seeing his shot deflected into the net, leaving the goalkeeper stranded.

A Nwaneri shot then won Arsenal a corner, from which Luis Brown headed home for 2-1.

The Nwaneri show was well under way, and if there was a bit of luck about his first goal, his second finish curled into the top corner was all skill.

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Nwaneri’s next goal was perhaps even better, as he flicked the ball up with his first touch, drawing the goalkeeper in before touching it past him for his hat-trick.

But the 16-year-old wasn’t done there, tapping home a fourth goal from close range after excellent work by Michal Rosiak and Kamarni Ryan to find him.

A Nwaneri long ball then got another move going, and Myles Lewis-Skelly breezed past a challenge that would’ve floored most players before cutting the ball back for Nwaneri to score his fifth of the night.

Omari Benjamin then made sure there was at least one goal without Nwaneri’s seal on it, cleverly adjusting his body to finish a loose ball in the box for 7-1, which was how it finished.

Arsenal will now go to the fourth round, where, depending on the outcome of that encounter, they will play either Fleetwood Town or Liverpool away from home.

Regarding Nwaneri, there wasn’t much he could have done to guarantee he would be back in Mikel Arteta’s squad for Tuesday’s match against PSV Eindhoven.

Nwaneri made the bench versus RC Lens, and he will undoubtedly start Wednesday in the Netherlands. Given Arsenal have already won the group, a debut at some point shouldn’t be out of the question.