Max Dowman matches Wayne Rooney record and sends clear Arsenal message to Mikel Arteta
Youngster Max Dowman continues to shine for Arsenal under Mikel Arteta(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal teenager Max Dowman is just the second 16-year-old to score two goals in a game for a Premier League side in all competitions - joining Wayne Rooney. The forward, who can also play as an attacking midfielder, shone in Tuesday night's 4-2 win at Ipswich Town.
The Gunners ' academy star was handed an opportunity to impress after his debut for Mikel Arteta's side last season. Dowman's goals, alongside those of Noni Madueke and Mikel Merino, wrapped up a comprehensive victory for Arsenal in the Carabao Cup third round.
It comes after the young star became the Premier League's youngest-ever goalscorer, having netted in March's 2-0 win over Everton. The attacker made his top-flight debut on August 23 last year, coming on as a substitute in the 64th minute of Arsenal 's 5-0 win over Leeds United.
After netting a brace against Gary O'Neil's team, he has now joined Rooney in scoring twice for a top-flight side in a single game as a 16-year-old. That accomplishment from the former Manchester United and England star came in October 2002 for Everton against Wrexham, also in the League Cup.
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Arteta was asked post-match about Dowman's performance as well as that of another 17-year-old defender, Marli Salmon.
He said: "A joy to have him, Marli as well, a 16-year-old, to play at the level with the physicality they have to be able to handle that level. It's remarkable. And Max, yeah, it's inevitable to talk about him when he scores and he creates the moments that he has created tonight. It's normal.
Max Dowman was superb for Arsenal against Ipswich(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
"That's something very natural for him, and he can deliver those actions effortlessly, I would say. That's his biggest quality. And defensively, his application, his capacity as well to sustain the actions, which is not easy.
"He's 16 years old, and he can create moments, but consistently to go through the game, every phase, with the demands that we put in them, to be able to do that is extremely difficult. And he's coping better and better and better.
"He did the action where he regained the ball and wins it. In the first goal, he loses his man. And that's the thing that we need to continue to reiterate with him because he's an unbelievable player because of the character that he has and how much he loves to play at the biggest stage and still handle the situation with such naturality."
Arteta was also asked how he will manage the hype around someone so young, admitting they will have to be careful about how he is used.
He added: "Well, it depends. If he does what he does on the pitch, it's not easy, 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. In other leagues in Europe, that's a totally different context.
"But in this league, with the demands that the league [has], the players and everything put on you, we really need to make sure every time we throw him in, he's in the right context with the right preparation. That's what we are trying to do.
"We want to make sure that when we just throw him there, he's ready to handle that at every level. It's not just that he can run past somebody. There's a lot more things that we need to look after him.
"But he will dictate that in terms of how he behaves every single day and how many reasons he gives to play because he's part of our squad. Like anybody else, no different. The only thing that we have to manage is that he needs to constantly be aware that he needs to be prepared for what he needs to do."
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