Max Dowman caught the eye in Arsenal's hard-fought FA Cup fifth round victory at Mansfield Town on Saturday lunchtime
14:10, 07 Mar 2026Updated 14:14, 07 Mar 2026
Max Dowman in action for Arsenal against Mansfield
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Max Dowman in action for Arsenal against Mansfield
Max Dowman was named in the Arsenal starting XI in the FA Cup at Mansfield Town after he was an unused substitute at Brighton in midweek.
Perhaps the only surprise regarding Arsenal's starting line-up at Mansfield was the shape, not so much the personnel.
There were certainly no eyebrows raised when it was confirmed that Dowman would be featuring from the get-go and he proved exactly why inside the opening exchanges.
The mercurial 16-year-old wonderkid raced onto a loose Mansfield pass, drove towards the opposition goal and fired a low shot which was saved by Stags goalkeeper Liam Roberts.
We had only played shy of four minutes but already, Dowman looked the sharpest player on the pitch.
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The difficulty facing Mikel Arteta where the teenager's development is concerned is that generational gems like Dowman must be nurtured carefully.
The weight of expectation can weigh heavy upon young shoulders but equally, he has shown consistently during his rare few cameos that he is already more than good enough to make an impact for Arsenal.
It feels a pretty absurd and wild thing to say about a 16-year-old but there a shades of Lionel Messi when Dowman dribbles and drives with the ball.
He is intelligent enough to spot a nutmeg, has the technical class and quality to execute it, has admirable balance and a remarkable low centre of gravity.
Yes, the cynics might argue that this is only League One Mansfield but we have also seen Dowman tear Newcastle to shreds in pre-season, dazzle from the bench in the Emirates Cup and win a penalty in the Premier League against Leeds in August.
Eberechi Eze scored for Arsenal against Mansfield as Max Dowman dazzled
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Eberechi Eze netted the winner for Arsenal vs Mansfield as Max Dowman sparkled throughout(Image: Jon Super / AFP via Getty Images)
Had he not picked up an ankle injury in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United in December, it's fair to reflect he would have had plenty of opportunities to shine.
Arteta will be under no illusions that Dowman is another string to Arsenal's bow between now and the end of the season - this particular performance tells him what he already knew; the fresh-faced attacker is a special player.
Now it's more about finding a way to integrate him into the team without damaging the team's balance. Bukayo Saka operates in similar areas of the field but Dowman can also star in a central position, like he did here.
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Given Arsenal's four-pronged pursuit of silverware is still very much alive; Dowman is the kind of asset that can help them maintain their challenge across all fronts.
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