There was very little in the way of positives for Mikel Arteta to take from the defeat at Southampton but Max Dowman’s performance might just have been one.
Dowman was given the nod from the start as he was deployed in a wide right role before switching for a more central position when Noni Madueke was brought on.
And while most of his Arsenal teammates struggled at St Mary’s, the 16-year-old showed everyone he can be the one to help Arsenal to glory.
Max Dowman’s Southampton performance shows he can help Arsenal
While the clamour from some to get Max Dowman involved in the England World Cup squad is definitely a bit premature, the idea of Dowman playing more regularly for Arsenal is not.
He has yet to start a Premier League game but with a crucial run of fixtures to come – including two home games in April – Dowman might just get the nod now.
At Southampton, he was one of the few Arsenal players consistently probing and causing trouble.
In the first half, Dowman created a number of opportunities down the right as he caused Ryan Manning trouble, cutting inside on a number of occasions to produce excellent quality into the forwards.
16-year-old Max Dowman was Arsenal’s best player vs Southampton. Is that good news or should the other players be embarrassed?
However, it was the second half, with Arsenal pressing for an equaliser twice, where Dowman showed his real quality.
Operating more centrally, Dowman looked every bit the seasoned player. There was one particular moment late on where Dowman received the ball in the crowded midfield, before turning and receiving the ball in one movement to leave two Southampton defenders.
In this particular instance, Dowman also showed the strength that Premier League players have, as he maintained balance and the ball to advance Arsenal forward.
Indeed, it was in the dying embers where Dowman looked like being the one who might score. He had a few chances where he fashioned a chance from nothing before being denied by Southampton’s defence.
| Successful crosses | 4 |
| Key passes | 1 |
| Accurate passes | 26/29 |
| Passes in opposition half | 18 |
| Dribbles | 5 |
| Fouls won | 4 |
As performances from a 16-year-old go, this was as good as you’ll get.
And with the season set to reach a nail-biting conclusion and Arsenal likely to need moments of magic in certain games, Dowman has shown Mikel Arteta he can be the man to unlock even the most stubborn of Premier League defences.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
