Arsenal need all the help they can get in the final games of the season.
The Gunners have five fixtures left in the Premier League, and it looks like it will be a straight shootout with Manchester City, who have the same points and goal difference as their title rivals.
Arsenal need to make sure they win every single game, and emphasis should be put on how many goals they score as well, as City are currently ahead on that metric.
In order to do that, many fans think Max Dowman should be given more opportunities, but Gary Lineker doesn’t think that will happen.
How closely do you think Max Dowman will follow in Lamine Yamal’s footsteps?
Gary Lineker says Mikel Arteta doesn’t trust Max Dowman to play regularly yet
Dowman is arguably the best player of his age in the world.
The 16-year-old is a tremendous talent, and he has shown his quality in the Premier League already this season. He helped set up a goal and then scored one himself against Everton not too long ago.
Dowman, however, was an unused substitute against Manchester City at the Etihad, and he didn’t get a minute against Pep Guardiola’s side in the Carabao Cup final either.
That may have led Lineker to believe that Mikel Arteta doesn’t trust the teenager to play regularly in the final games of the season because of what is at stake.
While discussing whether Dowman should be called up to the England World Cup squad, the pundit said on the Rest is Football podcast: “If he comes in for the last few games of the season, wins the title for Arsenal and performs magically, then this conversation (about England call-up) changes, obviously.
“But it’s hard to see Arteta trusting him to do that.
“I’d love to see him start and see how he gets on because I think he’s fearless and thrilling.”
Max Dowman must play almost every game for Arsenal in the title run-in
Arteta would not be wrong to protect Dowman because of his age.
Being depended upon by millions of Arsenal fans during a high-pressure title chase would be an insane amount of pressure for any player, let alone a 16-year-old.
However, Dowman has tackled everything that has been put in front of him without any trouble and has consistently impressed whenever he has played.
Starting him may be a bit too much, but we think Dowman should be brought on in almost every game because he has the quality to create chances and score goals.
That is exactly what Arsenal need right now as the title race could well be decided on goal difference on the final day of the season.
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