David Moyes gave a telling reaction on the touchline seconds before Arsenal made it 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium
David Moyes reacts on the touchline to Max Dowman's goal
David Moyes reacted on the touchline before Max Dowman's goal (Image: Arsenal )
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David Moyes threw his hand up dismissively and stormed off on the touchline moments before Max Dowman's last-gasp goal against Everton. Dowman, 16, enjoyed a day he will never forget on Saturday as Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
With the Gunners edging towards a frustrating 0-0 draw and a potential setback to their Premier League title ambitions, Mikel Arteta introduced Max Dowman in place of Martin Zubimendi in the 74th minute.
The teenager immediately made his mark with his superb dribbling ability against players a decade older than him. Arteta's confidence in the youngster was rewarded as Dowman then delivered the cross that resulted in Jordan Pickford's mistake and Viktor Gyokeres's 89th minute opener.
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In the tense closing stages of added time, the league leaders were forced to defend against a flurry of Everton attacks, including a corner in the dying seconds. However, Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli's headed clearances saw the ball fall to substitute Dowman.
The teenager flicked the ball past Vitalii Mykolenko, leaving only Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to beat, who he danced around on the halfway line to have a clear run at an open goal. At that exact moment, Toffees boss Moyes' reaction on the touchline was captured by Arsenal's bench cam, which has since been shared on the club's social media platforms.
Max Dowman breaks past Everton's Vitaly Mykolenko to score the 2nd Arsenal goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium.
Dowman got past the two Everton defenders with ease(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Feeling a mixture of frustration at his team throwing away points late on and bewilderment at how effortlessly the teenage Dowman sliced through Everton's backline, the Scot knew the youngster was certain to score from there. He gestured dismissively with his hand and marched back towards his own technical area as Dowman guided the ball into the net.
Dowman's goal sparked scenes of jubilation in the stands and on the touchline as Arsenal players and coaching staff, including Arteta, went wild. By netting his first goal for his boyhood club, Dowman also became the youngest player ever to score in a Premier League game.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: David Moyes the head coach / manager of Everton during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium on March 14, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Moyes was left frustrated with the defeat(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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Despite the painful defeat, considering how many golden opportunities Everton created themselves, Moyes remained classy in his press conference afterwards by praising Arsenal's valiant defending.
When asked about the differences between Dowman and a 16-year-old Wayne Rooney, who scored his first ever goal against Arsenal late on after being handed a start by Moyes back in 2002, the manager refused to compare the two.
He said: "I wasn’t really looking at him, I was watching my own players, to be honest. I don’t know an awful lot about the boy. He looks a talented boy, that’s for sure."