Arsenal teenager Max Dowman became the Premier League's youngest ever scorer on Saturday with John Terry already seeing elements of Lionel Messi in the teenager
Max Dowman had a night to remember as the teenager made Premier League history
Max Dowman had a night to remember as the teenager made Premier League history(Image: BEN STANSALL, AFP via Getty Images)
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Max Dowman stole the show in Arsenal's win over Everton on Saturday with the teenage sensation being compared to Lionel Messi by John Terry - who hailed him as a "proper talent".
The Gunners saw their lead at the top of the table extend with all the talk centring around their latest academy product. Dowman had enjoyed cameos in the Arsenal side and was again bought on for the latter stages, scoring a breakaway goal in stoppage time against the Toffees.
With Jordan Pickford up for a corner the Everton goal was exposed and Dowman led a break from a corner, waltzing past two players before he had an entire half and the goal at his mercy. By scoring, Dowman became the youngest scorer in Premier League history at the age of 16 years and 73 days.
Dowman has played like a player beyond his years and Terry has been so impressed that the Chelsea legend quickly saw a likeness to Messi given the way he breezes past players with such ease.
He said on TikTok: "Max Dowman, what a player by the way, 16 years of age, absolutely incredible. I watched him play against Chelsea about a year ago and I’ve not seen anyone glide past people like this man does, other than Messi. That’s a big, big comparison but this man is a proper talent and will play a big part in Arsenal’s future and also England as well. Super, super talent. Big, big win for them [Arsenal] as well today."
Dowman is the second-youngest player to represent the club and second-youngest to play in the Premier League, just behind fellow academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri. He enjoyed moments of class in pre-season and, at the age of 15, was playing in the top flight.
Mikel Arteta's trust is such that Dowman was playing in the team's fixture at Liverpool earlier this season. Messi enjoyed a rapid ascent to the top of world football, winning the Ballon d'Or for the first time in 2009 at the age of 22. The Arsenal ace has continued to stun his team-mates with Viktor Gyokeres full of priase.
John Terry has delivered some high praise after seeing the Arsenal teenager
John Terry has delivered some high praise after seeing the Arsenal teenager
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“When you see him play, you don't think that he's 16,” said the Swedish star after the win. “You don't think about it when he has the ball with the composure and the confidence he plays with. It's incredible - to see him score that goal was amazing.
“He's been developing. He got an injury and was out for a while so I didn't see him for a few months, but now he's back and he's playing still with the confidence that he did before. He makes a lot of right decisions when he comes on the pitch. He's an incredible and very good player.”
Arteta said on his young star that "he doesn't seem to be fazed by the occasion or the moment or the context or the opponent. He just plays so naturally".
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