Sports

Arsenal's Max Dowman Nets Brace Against Ipswich as Arteta Urges Patience

By Emlyn Begley

Sixteen-year-old Arsenal forward Max Dowman scored twice as his side beat Ipswich Town 4-2 in the Carabao Cup, prompting manager Mikel Arteta to stress the need for careful management of the teenager's development. Dowman featured 13 times for Arsenal last season but had been limited to substitute appearances this campaign before starting against Ipswich at Portman Road. His first goal came from a solo run in which he beat several defenders before finishing, while his second saw him calmly place the ball into the bottom corner. Arteta praised the performance but urged caution. "He is 16 years old and we have to be really cautious," he said. "We don't want to stop him, we don't want to put the brakes on him, we need to develop him and we are fully aware what he needs. He will have opportunities." Describing Dowman's play, Arteta added: "Unbelievable, he's unpredictable, he can go either way, so fluid, so nice to watch." Dowman became only the second 16-year-old to score twice in a game for a Premier League club in any competition, following Wayne Rooney, who achieved the feat for Everton against Wrexham in the League Cup in 2002. Arteta noted the difficulty of performing under pressure at such a young age, saying, "With the demands that we put on them, to be able to do that is extremely difficult and he's coping better and better and better. He's an unbelievable player because of the character that he has and how much he loves to play at the biggest stage." He added that managing external expectations was challenging: "It's not easy to contain the hype, I understand, but what we have to do is look after him. He's 16 years old. You don't see that in this league... we really need to make sure every time we throw him in, he's in the right context with the right preparation." Dowman's rise began last season when he set multiple records, becoming the youngest player in Champions League history at 15, as well as Arsenal's youngest ever starter and the Premier League's youngest starter, goalscorer, and title winner. He scored once last season, against Everton, a goal later voted Arsenal's goal of the season, netting into an empty goal after running from his own half. He achieved this while still studying for his GCSEs at Brentwood School, from which he graduated over the summer before leaving to focus fully on football. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp praised Arsenal's approach to his development: "He is a wonderful player who will be able to do everything in the game. But just give him time — how they are handling him is perfect. What you don't want to do is not give him the amount of game time he needs. He is an elite player." Breaking into Arsenal's first team remains difficult given the club's current form — they have won all seven matches so far this season across four competitions. Dowman was an unused substitute in four of those games and not involved in two others before playing the full 90 minutes against Ipswich. Arsenal's regular attacking line-up has featured Bukayo Saka, Christos Tzolis, Martin Odegaard, and Kai Havertz. Teammate Mikel Merino praised Dowman's potential, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: "He's an unbelievable talent. He will be a star in the future if he keeps his eyes and ears open and keeps learning. He's just 16 so he needs a lot of coaching, especially tactically, but I can't take anything away from him. He's always keen to learn. We'll keep helping him." Some pundits have suggested Dowman could eventually be considered for England's Euro 2028 squad, with earlier debate this year over whether he should have been included in World Cup discussions. Former England defender Conor Coady said on Sky Sports: "He is a real superstar. A 16-year-old boy should not be doing this. He has got no better manager than Arteta to look after him. You want him to be looked after properly. If he plays every game at this age, he won't be scoring goals like this." Dowman's achievement came on the same day it emerged that 15-year-old Manchester United striker JJ Gabriel is set to leave the club, having been expected to make his debut in Wednesday's Carabao Cup match against Brighton. His departure means Arsenal continues to hold the record for the three youngest players to score in the League Cup for a Premier League side: Cesc Fabregas (16 years, 212 days v Wolves, 2003), Dowman (16 years, 258 days v Ipswich), and Jack Wilshere (16 years, 266 days v Sheffield United, 2008).