Who is Max Dowman? Meet the 14-year-old Arsenal sensation who has been invited to train with the first team by Mikel Arteta
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta gave 14-year-old Max Dowman a chance to practice with the senior pros before their must-win game against Bournemouth on Saturday (May 4).
During the preparations leading up to the match, Arteta made a surprise call by including Dowman in the practice session with the first-team players. Although just 14, the youngster has been punching above his weight since the beginning and has already broken into the Gunners' Under-18 side.
The prodigal midfielder has registered five assists and one goal in the five appearances made for the Arsenal U-18 side. Four assists came in a single game against Fulham and drew praise from ex-Arsenal man and his coach, Jack Wilshere.
According to Metro, Wilshere talked about the dilemma coaches face when promoting young players like Max Dowman to the first team.
"There’s always a concern when fielding such a young player in these matches, but if you’re good enough, you’re old enough," he commented. He can be more consistent but he’s only 14 and hasn’t even started his GCSEs yet. We need to find a balance of letting him play and enjoy because of his age but also trying to get as much work into him as we can."
Max Dowman has also represented the England Under-16 team and is firmly on the English radar. We might soon see him on the first England team if he continues this form.
How will Arsenal line up against Bournemouth on Saturday? Will Max Dowman play?
Although Max Dowman is practicing with the first team, it is too far-fetched to think he will feature in Arsenal's match against Bournemouth. In the unlikely event that he does, he will be the youngest player in Premier League's history, beating Ethan Nwaneri's record of 15 years and 181 days.
According to Metro, Mikel Arteta will field the same team that he fielded in the last two matches. Following Thomas Partey's return to full fitness, the Gunners looked unstoppable against Chelsea and Tottenham in the last two matches.
If the Ghanaian midfielder can endure three back-to-back matches, Arteta will probably not tinker with the line-up and go with the winning combination.
So, the Gunners will likely have a back four featuring Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, and Ben White, with David Raya in goal. The midfield will have Declan Rice to run into spaces, Martin Ødegaard for his magical through balls, and Thomas Party as the engine. Finally, Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka will make the front three for the Gunners.
Arsenal are currently at the top of the Premier League table with 80 points. However, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City are biting at their heels with 79, having played a game less. With just three more matches to go in the Premier League, we are in for a nail-biting trophy race.