Max Dowman matches Man Utd legend after 'unbelievable' performance in Arsenal win vs Ipswich Town

Arsenal comfortably eased past Ipswich Town 4-2 in the EFL Cup third-round tie at Portman Road on Tuesday night.

The Gunners reached the EFL Cup final last season, where they lost 2-0 to Manchester City, and Mikel Arteta will be aiming to produce more heroics in the competition this time around.

Jurrien Timber was rested for the match as a precaution, while Max Dowman was the star of the night with two goals to his name.

Noni Madueke and Mikel Merino were also on the scoresheet as the Gunners progressed to the next round without any difficulty.

Dowman scored twice on the night, and Mikel Arteta showered praise on the youngster, describing him as "unbelievable".

"Unbelievable, he's unpredictable, he can go either way, so fluid, so nice to watch," said Arteta.

According to Opta Joe, Dowman became the second 16-year-old to score twice in a game for a Premier League side in any competition, after Wayne Rooney for Everton against Wrexham in 2002.

The youngster opened the scoring with a fine solo goal as he ran through, leaving defenders on the floor before slotting the ball home, and he showed good composure to place the ball into the bottom corner for his second.

Dowman also became the first player to score twice in a match for the Gunners before turning 17, which is a remarkable achievement.

Dowman played 13 times last season for the Gunners but had been limited to bench roles so far this term prior to the EFL Cup clash.

Breaking into the first team will be a real challenge for the prodigiously gifted youngster, especially with the Gunners in such fine form at the moment.

While there is no doubt about Dowman's talent, he still needs plenty of coaching, particularly from a tactical perspective, and Arsenal are unlikely to put the brakes on his development.

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