Setting the standard: Max Dowman
Arsenal Football Newsletter
Mikel Arteta has urged his Arsenal players to learn from Max Dowman's fearlessness in the crunch weeks of the season.
Dowman came off the bench against Everton on Saturday to make the difference, producing the cross from which Viktor Gyokeres broke the deadlock before scoring a wonderful goal on the counter to seal victory.
The 16-year-old was mobbed by his team-mates in celebration as he was dragged into the crowd, and even the Arsenal substitutes ran along the touchline to join in.
Arsenal remain in the hunt for all four trophies and there has been plenty of tension and pressure on the squad, but Arteta hopes Dowman can be an example to follow.
"I think it's very inspiring when you see someone almost naive making decisions and flowing, careless playing in that manner, in that context," Arteta said.
"It's great and I think probably our players realised as well. It's a good example, playing with that flow and enthusiasm is actually very beneficial for the team."
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Arteta himself was particularly animated on the touchline, far more emotional than he has been for much of the season.
He took his coat off in the latter stages and jumped around his technical area, appealing for every decision and urging his side forward.
"I don't know, I felt it," Arteta said when asked about his change in demeanour.
"I felt that the team needed something else. I was desperate to do anything that it could take to win the game and to help the boys to deliver that moment.
"And I wanted to be there present, supporting them, playing every ball with them, make them feel that I'm there, that we are all there, because it's not [just] me, it's all the staff."
Arteta described Dowman's goal as "one of the best moments" Arsenal have had at the Emirates Stadium.
Ahead of a Champions League last-16 second-leg tie with Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday night, Arteta called on the Arsenal fans to keep replicating that energy inside the stadium.
"Living it is the best way to understand and to recognise how powerful it is," Arteta said.
"When you get in that stadium with that atmosphere, you just have the sense that it is going to happen.
"And we have plenty of examples throughout the last few years that when we have created that at the Emirates, we make it very difficult for the opponent."