Jack Wilshere's performance the one bright note on an otherwise forgettable night for Arsenal

Arsenal 1 Doncaster Rovers 0: Midfielder makes first start for Arsenal since May 2016, and controls the game from midfield, but home side did not have it all their own way

Jack Wilshere looked lively and sharp playing in midfield (Getty Images)

Jack Wilshere completed 90 minutes for Arsenal on Wednesday evening for the first time since 23 September 2014, three days short of three years ago. That, more than anything else, was the most significant thing to happen in this otherwise forgettable Carabao Cup third round win over Doncaster Rovers.

Arsenal made plenty of changes and won 1-0 through Theo Walcott’s first half goal. They dominated the first half, had to defend in the second, but it never felt as if they would not be in the hat for the fourth round.

Far more surprising, though, was Wilshere, who looked lively and sharp playing in midfield, something the Emirates has barely seen over the last few seasons. This was his first start since May 2016, but his first complete game for Arsenal for far longer than that. Whether it will earn him a future at the club is anyone’s guess, but it is certainly progress of sorts.

This was never going to be an even game, and Arsenal barely gave Doncaster a go with the ball during a desperately one-sided first half. It was all Arsenal, of course, but that did not mean there was nothing riding on it. This Arsenal team was full of players desperate to prove themselves – Jack Wilshere, Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott and even Alexis Sanchez – especially at the front end of the pitch.

With that much quality it was simply a case of waiting for Arsenal to score, regardless of how hard Doncaster worked in their 5-4-1 system to keep them out. And Arsenal were determined not just to score, but to score beautifully. Wilshere chipped one clever pass over the top to Giroud who, with his back to goal, hit an overhead kick against the bar.

Arsenal bombarded the Doncaster goal – Giroud flashed a header just over – and soon enough the opening goal came. Sanchez spun Jordan Houghton and clipped a pass over the backline onto Theo Walcott. He left Niall Mason and Tommy Rowe ball-watching, took it down and stabbed it past Ian Lawlor, a goal to sum up Arsenal’s superiority.

But they only had one goal and when Alfie May flashed a shot into the side netting just before half-time it served as a warning. Arsenal needed a second and should have had one after the re-start when Giroud found Walcott racing away on the break, only for Ian Lawlor to save and the referee to give a corner.

But Doncaster grew in confidence, knowing they were one Arsenal mistake away from an unlikely equaliser. They enjoyed testing out Josh Dasilva, on at half-time, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who had to sprint back to stop May after Nelson had got spun on the half-way line. Arsenal were not safe yet.

The last 10 minutes almost felt like a siege on the Arsenal goal, unlikely as it might sound. Ben Whiteman should then have done better when running in behind. Liam Mandeville flicked the ball over Joe Willock and forced a corner, from which Matty Blair’s header was tipped just over. But that was it, Doncaster did not score and it was Arsenal’s night, and Wilshere’s.