Max Dowman has waited patiently for opportunities in Arsenal's first team, but when he gets them, he delivers. Mikel Arteta has managed the prodigy carefully since his big moment last season, when he became the Premier League's youngest scorer in a vital 2-0 home win over Everton on their title charge. Dowman has played six times since then, mostly in cameos, and has been an unused substitute on four occasions this season.
Last Saturday, he played an hour for the U21s in their 4-1 defeat to Chelsea while the first team won at Sunderland. Arteta warned Dowman afterwards that he must earn his minutes this season. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player But Dowman did not have to wait long for his chance.
While £63.5m striker Viktor Gyokeres failed to take his opportunity during Arsenal's 4-2 win over Ipswich in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, Dowman excelled, and the ease with which he scored twice was frightening. His first, in just the seventh minute, came after he stole possession in midfield, burst onto the ball before Gyokeres, shimmyed past Cedric Kipre to leave the defender on the ground, before sending goalkeeper Christian Walton the wrong way with his weaker right foot. "That's something very natural for him," said Arteta.
"He can deliver those actions effortlessly. I would say that's his biggest quality." Dowman had to be more precise for his second. Martin Zubimendi's pass deflected off Jacob Greaves's left arm, and Dowman, with little space inside the penalty area, adjusted to the ricochet with two quick touches to set up an accurate, composed shot on his left foot that almost trickled over the line, such was the perfectly measured weight of the effort.
Dowman's performance will only increase the hype around him. How will Arteta manage that? If he does what he does on the pitch, it's not easy, I understand," said Arteta.
"But what we have to do is look after him. You don't see that in this league. In other leagues in Europe, that's a totally different context.
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