Sport
Max Dowman could be Arsenal’s answer to Lamine Yamal
Saturday was very nearly the perfect day for Arsenal. They won their first home league game of the season by putting five goals past Leeds United. Two of them were scored by summer signing Viktor Gyokeres after another new addition Ebere Eze was unveiled before kick off. The only dampener were the injuries to Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.
Max Dowman’s Premier League debut was another reason Saturday’s match at the Emirates Stadium will be remembered. The 15-year-old made an electrifying cameo off the bench, winning the penalty kick from which Gyokeres scored his second and Arsenal’s fifth. Dowman certainly caught the eye.
Anyone who watched Dowman during pre-season won’t have been too surprised by Dowman’s impact. The teenager similarly won a penalty with a dribble into the box in a friendly match against Newcastle United, drawing a mistimed tackle from Joelinton just as he did from Leeds’ Anton Stach on Saturday.
Dowman is a natural dribbler. He draws fouls and is already striking fear into Premier League defences with his willingness to drive forward with the ball at his feet. Arsenal’s senior players clearly trust Dowman on the basis of how many times they fed possession into the 15-year-old against Leeds United.
What’s more, Dowman plays with the sort of authority that is extremely uncommon for a player of his tender age. He has a natural aura of someone who knows he belongs at the highest level of the English and European game. Dowman has the swagger of a young Wayne Rooney. Or Lamine Yamal.
Comparisons between Dowman and Barcelona’s young superstar. Yamal is a long way ahead of Arsenal’s 15-year-old having led Barca and Spain to titles in La Liga and last year’s European Championships, but Dowman has the potential to reach a similar level. The way he’s going, the teenager will do it quickly too.
“It is great to be able to change the energy in the stadium by bringing him in and he had an impact,” said Mikel Arteta when asked about Dowman’s impressive home debut which was one of the highlights of the 5-0 win over Leeds United. ““He won a penalty on his debut at the Emirates. That’s incredible.
“It’s credit, first of all, to his family, the way these kids have been raised and the environment created. They are not overwhelmed by the environment and context. And the work of the academy, for helping to raise these kids in that manner with the confidence and understanding of the game at just 15 years old.”
Saka’s injury might mean Dowman receives more game time over the coming weeks, but Arteta must be careful not to rush the teenager’s development. Dowman is in a good place to grow as Arsenal have a squad that means they shouldn’t have to count on the youngster too much. They can introduce him into the first team at his own pace.
That pace, however, might be rather rapid if Dowman’s impact on his Premier League debut is anything to go by. Yamal quickly made himself undroppable with his performances for club and country and Arsenal might have a youngster on a similar trajectory on their hands. They might have no choice but to play him.
Dowman’s emergence just adds to the growing sense that this could be Arsenal’s season. They have new ways to score goals through the addition of Gyokeres and Eze to their squad. Arteta has moulded his squad in his own image and with the help of Arsenal’s Hale End academy. After bringing through Myles Lewis-Skelly and Saka, Dowman could be the best of the bunch.
