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Arsenal player ratings after Gunners beat Port Vale 2-0 in Carabao Cup

By on September 25, 2025

Arsenal progressed into the fourth round of the League Cup with a 2-0 win against Port Vale, but it was far from straightforward.

Eberechi Eze struck early with his first goal in Arsenal colours, while substitute Leandro Trossard secured the result with a late second.

The Gunners made a fast start and scored inside the opening 10 minutes, threatening to overwhelm their League One opponents. Eze with the clinical finish after a good move.

However, Port Vale settled and began to see more of the ball, forcing Arsenal to work harder to secure control of the game.

Mikel Arteta turned to his bench in the second half, with Trossard stepping up to confirm the victory with five minutes left. The Belgian fired home a lovely strike from the edge of the box.

Here are player ratings from the game:

Arsenal player ratings

Kepa Arrizabalaga – 6

Given his first start of the season and enjoyed a quiet evening overall. Alert when required to sweep up danger, though one risky pass nearly cost him.

Ben White – 6

Still working back to full sharpness after fitness problems. Did a solid job at right-back but rarely ventured forward.

William Saliba – 7

Dominant at the back and barely allowed Port Vale’s forwards a sniff. Assisted the second goal with clever play.

Cristhian Mosquera – 7

Looked comfortable in defence and adapted well when asked to move wide. One loose pass drew gasps but otherwise very assured.

Miles Lewis-Skelly – 7

Registered the assist for Eze’s opener and gave a strong display. A lively performance that should boost his case for more minutes.

Ethan Nwaneri – 7

Handed his first start of the season. Showed neat touches and linked well with Eze, especially in the first half when he was influential, though lacked a decisive final product.

Christian Norgaard – 6

Anchored the midfield with tidy passing and simple play. Not flashy, but effective in keeping Arsenal steady.

Mikel Merino – 6

Worked hard against Vale’s physical approach. Substituted after 71 minutes having done his job without standing out.

Bukayo Saka – 7

Captained the side for the evening. Threatened down the right and survived a heavy challenge before being replaced after an hour.

Eberechi Eze – 8

Scored confidently inside eight minutes for his first Arsenal goal. Went close to making it 2-0 before half time. Always lively and caused problems before being taken off late on.

Gabriel Martinelli – 7

Covered plenty of ground and worked hard, but his impact in attack was limited. Substituted shortly before the end.

Arsenal substitutes

Max Dowman – 6

Replaced Saka and almost set up a goal with an excellent pass for Gyokeres. Showed promise in his short cameo.

Viktor Gyokeres – 6

Had a chance to score but saw his effort blocked. Showed some neat touches and link-up play.

Declan Rice – N/A

Came on for the final minutes and did not have enough time to influence the match.

Leandro Trossard – 8

Introduced late but made a major impact. Controlled the ball well and struck from the edge of the box to seal the victory.

Gabriel – N/A

Brought on for the final stages to help Arsenal see out the game with little involvement.

Arsenal will now turn their attention to the Premier League, with a crucial trip to Newcastle United at St James’ Park next.