Arsenal had to work really hard but managed to beat Mansfield Town in the FA Cup.
The Gunners were nowhere near the level expected of the Premier League leaders against the 16th-placed team in the third tier of English football, but all that matters is the victory in the end.
Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze’s goals sealed a quarter-final place for the Gunners, but before either of them scored, Arsenal made history by fielding two 16-year-olds – Max Dowman and Marli Salmon.
Who was your Man of the Match against Mansfield?
Arsenal set a new record by starting Max Dowman and Marli Salmon
Mikel Arteta has never been afraid to give opportunities to Arsenal’s youngsters.
The Spaniard was the one who made Ethan Nwaneri the youngest-ever player in the Premier League, and he has since given debuts to several other academy players.
On Saturday, Arteta surprised a few people by naming both Dowman and Salmon in the starting lineup against Mansfield Town.
It is very rare to see two 16-year-olds start a senior game. In fact, no other Premier League club has done it before in any competition.
That’s according to Opta, who tweeted: “Through Max Dowman and Marli Salmon, Arsenal are the first ever Premier League side to start a competitive game with two players aged 16 or under in any competition.”
That is a phenomenal statistic, and it should send a message to all the young players in the academy that there is a pathway to the first team.
All they have to do is put their heads down and work hard, just like Dowman and Salmon have done up until this point.
READ MORE: READ MORE: Arsenal player ratings after FA Cup win vs Mansfield, Max Dowman shines, but one player scores 3/10
Rate Marli Salmon and Max Dowman’s performances vs Mansfield Town!
How Max Dowman and Marli Salmon fared in their full FA Cup debuts for Arsenal
Both Salmon and Dowman had a mixed game for Arsenal against Mansfield Town.
At half-time, fans were hailing the two youngsters and even claimed that they were the only players who turned up for the game.
Dowman made some excellent runs with the ball and was unlucky not to score twice. He did lose the ball at times, though, and will be disappointed not to have found the net.
Salmon, on the other hand, showed a lot of bravery in the first half, but he made a mistake after the break that led to Mansfield scoring.
That was a shame, but the youngster should still keep his chin up, as it was a good display for a 16-year-old on his full debut.
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