By being named in the team for tonight's Carabao Cup fourth round tie with Brighton, Max Dowman has broken an Arsenal record by becoming our youngest ever starter.
When he came on against Leeds United last month to make his professional bow, Max became the second-youngest player in Premier League history, as well as in our club's 138-year history, but by being named on the teamsheet against the Seagulls, he has become the youngest player to do so for our men's first-team.
Aged just 15 years and 302 days old, Max has broken the record set last season when Jack Porter was named between the posts against Bolton Wanderers at the same stage of the Carabao Cup. Jack was 16 years and 72 days old that night, meaning his England under-19 teammate Max has beaten him by 135 days.
Arsenal's youngest ever starters
First start
player
opponent
competition
age
Oct 2025
Max Dowman
Brighton
League Cup
15 years 302 days
Sep 2024
Jack Porter
Bolton
League Cup
16 years 72 days
Oct 2003
Cesc Fabregas
Rotherham
League Cup
16 years 177 days
Sep 2008
Jack Wilshere
Sheff United
League Cup
16 years 266 days
Aug 1953
Gerry Ward
Huddersfield
First Division
16 years 321 days
Aug 1975
David O'Leary
Burnley
First Division
17 years 106 days
Oct 2012
Serge Gnabry
Reading
League Cup
17 years 108 days
Oct 2004
Arturo Lupoli
Man City
League Cup
17 years 125 days
Oct 1973
Richie Powling
QPR
First Division
17 years 159 days
Sep 2024
Ethan Nwaneri
Bolton
League Cup
17 years 188 days
Our youngest ever player remains Ethan Nwaneri, who against Brentford in 2022 became the first 15-year-old to play in the Premier League, aged 15 years and 181 days old. He is the youngest player ever to appear in a top-flight match in English football, beating the previous record held by Sunderland’s Derek Foster in August 1964.
Arsenal's youngest ever players
Date of debut
Player
Opponent
Competition
Age
**Sep 2022**
**Ethan Nwaneri**
Brentford
Premier League
**15y 181d**
**Aug 2025**
**Max Dowman**
Leeds
Premier League
**15y 235d**
**Sep 2024**
**Jack Porter**
Bolton
League Cup
**16y 72d**
**Oct 2003**
**Cesc Fabregas**
Rotherham
League Cup
**16y 177d**
**Sep 2008**
**Jack Wilshere**
Blackburn
Premier League
**16y 256d**
Max will now be hoping to break another long-standing club record if he continues to receive first-team opportunities in 2025/26.
Back in December 2003 - six years before Max was born - a fresh-faced Cesc Fabregas made a name for himself when he netted in a League Cup tie against Wolves, becoming our youngest-ever goalscorer aged 16 years and 212 days.
With that in mind, should Max score his first Gunners goal at any point this season, then he would leapfrog the Spaniard in the rankings and potentially take that particular slice of club history, unless another academy product gets there first!
Arsenal's youngest ever scorers
Date
Player
Opponent
Competition
Age
**Dec 2003**
**Cesc Fabregas**
**Wolves**
**League Cup**
**16y 212d**
**Sep 2008**
**Jack Wilshere**
**Sheff Utd**
**League Cup**
**16y 266d**
**Mar 1982**
**Stewart Robson**
**Ipswich**
**First Division**
**17y 127d**
**Nov 2004**
**Arturo Lupoli**
**Everton**
**League Cup**
**17y 138d**
**Sep 2024**
**Ethan Nwaneri**
**Bolton**
**League Cup**
**17y 188d**
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