Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman has proven exactly why he is such a highly-rated youngster and one of the next gems to come through the Hale End academy with his latest display in the FA Youth Cup.
The young Gunners took on QPR in the fourth round of the competition, hopeful of booking a place against local rivals Fulham up next.
An enthralling 3-3 played out between the two London clubs, as goals from Andre Harriman-Annous, Max Dowman, and Louis Zecevic John for Arsenal – cancelling out Emerson Sutton’s hat-trick – ensured the match went to extra time and penalties.
It all rested on the shoulders of goalkeeper Jack Porter, who made two penalty saves to ensure passage to the next round.
- READ MORE: Get to know Jack Porter with everything on the Arsenal goalkeeper, including age, height and stats
While the record-breaking 16-year-old shot-stopper got plenty of plaudits for his big moments in the match, it was another record-breaker in Dowman who showed his ability once again.
Max Dowman shines in Arsenal FA Youth Cup tie
For Dowman, a start in Arsenal’s FA Youth Cup win over QPR was a first appearance in the competition for the young attacking midfielder.
The 15-year-old wasn’t eligible to play in the third round of the competition, due to rules over which players can play at certain ages.
With his birthday in late December, the youngster was eligible to feature against QPR, where he managed to score a goal.
An impressive all-round performance has shown Dowman is more than capable of playing above his peers in the same age group.
The wonderkid has been on the radar at the Hale End academy for some time now, following other notable appearances.
Dowman has been in Arsenal first-team training under Mikel Arteta this season, despite still being in the formative years of his career.
With a handful of under-18s appearances and some games in the UEFA Youth League, the youngster certainly has a high ceiling.
How far he can reach remains to be seen, with it worth remembering that he is still developing his game, though his involvement in training shows how highly he is rated.
When can Max Dowman make his debut for Arsenal?
With so much anticipation over the talent of Dowman, the natural question some fans are asking surrounds when he could feature for the senior team.
With Ethan Nwaneri setting a record as the youngest-ever Arsenal player, comparisons are naturally going to occur.
A debut could be handed to Dowman in the FA Cup due to registration rules – though that would have to be next season as Arsenal have been knocked out of this season’s competition, meaning he will be 16 by the time the next match rolls around.
Due to other registration rules, the youngster won’t be able to be involved in a Premier League squad until August 2025 at the earliest.
This is related to the rules over when players reach certain ages, meaning he will be a few months older than when Nwaneri made his debut against Brentford.
It remains to be seen when his time will come, but there is plenty of optimism that he will reach the heights.
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