Nwaneri in race against time to eclipse Rooney and Owen's Premier League record

The versatile playmaker became the Premier League's youngest player at the age of 15 years and 181 days when he came on for Arsenal away at Brentford in September 2022.

But Mikel Arteta has been cautious in easing the teenager into the first-team - and has reaped the rewards from doing so.

After two senior appearances in the last two campaigns, Arteta has let the 17-year-old off the leash, with Nwaneri featuring in 24 games this term.

The England youth international has chipped in with seven goals and one assist and has become a key player in the wake of Bukayo Saka's hamstring injury.

A natural No.10, Nwaneri has been deployed on the right wing and has made the position his own with a number of dazzling displays.

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Incredibly, only Rooney and Owen have scored more goals [nine each] for a Premier League side in all competitions than Nwaneri before turning 18.

Owen burst onto the scene at Liverpool in 1997, with his 23 goals scored in the 1997/98 season seeing him earn a spot in England's World Cup squad.

Meanwhile Rooney made his mark at the Reds' Merseyside rivals Everton after making his senior debut in 2002.

Nwaneri has the chance to equal or eclipse the feat set by the ex-Three Lions strikers, but is running out of time to do so.

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The Hale End graduate turns 18 on March 21, with the Gunners only having four games left before his birthday.

West Ham are next up for the north Londoners, who then face tricky clashes against Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Chelsea before the March international break.

And while the fixtures aren't kind for the Gunners, Nwaneri's impressive minute-to-goal ratio could lead to him creating history.

That is because he is currently outperforming Owen and Rooney - a staggering feat for someone who isn't a striker.

Nwaneri currently averages a goal every 103 minutes, while Owen's pre-18 average was once every 192 minutes.

As for Rooney, he found the back of the net every 232 minutes.

Though Nwaneri doesn't seem likely in being able to break Rooney's record for most Premier League goal involvements for a player aged 17 or younger.

The Arsenal starlet's assist in the 2-0 win at Leicester last weekend was his fourth direct contribution in the top-flight alongside his strikes against Forest, Brighton and Manchester City.

Only three players boast more than Nwaneri in the Premier League at his age.

Rooney leads the way with 12 combined goals and assists, with Owen boasting eight.

Former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas then follows having been involved in six goals.

However, Nwaneri did recently snatch a Premier League record of his own - pipping Saka in the process.

During Arsenal's victory at the King Power Stadium last weekend, Nwaneri completed five dribbles along with his stunning assist for Mikel Merino.

In doing so, he is the youngest player to record the feat since records began in 2003 - beating Saka who was 18 years and 164 days against Newcastle in 2020.

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And Nwaneri can count himself unlucky he failed to get on the score sheet against Leicester having hit the woodwork twice in the second half.

With Arsenal to host the Hammers at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, Nwaneri will surely be presented with shooting opportunities against a side that have lost six out of their last eight matches.

As he closes in on Rooney and Owen's record, boss Arteta is confident he has the quality to take it for himself.

Speaking about Nwaneri earlier this month, the Spaniard said: "I wasn't aware of that record.

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"The only thing that I want with him is that he continues to do what he's doing and play with that freedom, with that tenacity and with that confidence.

"He's got the ability to make it happen and whether he does that or not, it will be a matter of time."