Goals from Gabriel Jesus, Ethan Nwaneri and Kai Havertz saw Arsenal beat Preston North End 3-0 in the Carabao Cup fourth round

With mist in the air and Deepdale's lights shining bright, the scene was perfectly set for Carabao Cup action - as Preston North End prepared to lock horns with one of the finest teams in the land. Liverpool and Newcastle United were the tests either side of this for Arsenal, but manager Mikel Arteta vowed to go strong and he did just that.

Jorginho of Arsenal goes down | Arsenal FC via Getty Images

placeholder image — Jorginho of Arsenal goes down | Arsenal FC via Getty Images

There were six changes for the Lilywhites, with plenty of those who helped get the job done against Fulham, given the nod again. North End kept the Gunners quiet enough in the opening exchanges, but territory and possession was dominated by the visitors and they broke through on 24 minutes. Set-pieces are a major strength of this physical monster of a football team - there was Gabriel Jesus, to smash home first time from Jakub Kiwior's knock down.

All the eyes, pre-match, will have been on the star studded names in Arsenal's XI - but it was the youngest of the bunch who provided a touch of top flight class on 33 minutes. Ethan Nwaneri had put two past Bolton Wanderers in round two and he added his third of the competition, in serious style. One touch to get the ball out of his feet, before a rocket of a left-footed strike into the top left corner.

North End had a mountain to climb at half time; the sight of Kai Havertz and Thomas Partey being introduced showed that the Gunners were by no means taking their foot off the gas. Just before the hour mark, Havertz popped up with a bullet header from 15 yards, to make it three and secure Arsenal's place in the quarter-final.

PNE goalkeeper Freddie Woodman then produced a superb double save to keep out Jesus and Raheem Sterling. At the other end, Preston did have some openings, but Jeppe Okkels was denied by debutant Tommy Setford - before Emil Riis slotted wide from a glorious Mads Frokjaer cross. At the end of it all, a very stereotypical cup clash against one of the big boys; North End will wait until the next one and dream once again.

PNE XI: Woodman; Kesler-Hayden (Potts 60'), Whatmough, Lindsay (Storey 77'), Hughes (Best 69'), Thordarson, Ledson, Bowler (Frokjaer 60'), Holmes, Okkels, Greenwood (Riis 60') PNE unused subs: Cornell, Storey, Whiteman, McCann, Stewart. Attendance: 21,811 (5,642 away)