Arsenal
Arsenal have suffered another injury concern after teenage star Max Dowman withdrew from England Under-19 duty. The 16-year-old missed the final game of the international window, but the issue does not appear severe, as per latest injury news.
Max Dowman forced out of England squad
Dowman had been involved in each of England Under-19s’ first three matches during the international break. He scored in the 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland before coming off the bench during the victory over Norway. The Arsenal youngster then started against the United States on Friday. He created England’s opening goal for Reigan Heskey before his evening ended early following a red card in the second half.
Dowman was sent off after a challenge on an American player, although the decision was considered harsh by some people who watched the match. England still managed to hold on for a 2-1 victory. The dismissal did not automatically rule him out of the meeting with Belgium. The games were part of a friendly tournament, meaning Dowman remained available for the final fixture.
His injury, however, meant he could not take part. As reported by The Sun, the issue is understood to be a contact injury rather than a major problem. There is currently no expectation that Dowman will spend a long period on the sidelines.
Arsenal wait for Max Dowman assessment
Dowman will now return to Arsenal, where the club’s medical staff will assess the problem. That will give Mikel Arteta and his team a clearer idea of whether the teenager can return to training quickly. The timing will be important for Dowman. Arsenal are preparing to resume domestic football after the international break, with their next Premier League fixture coming against Leeds United.
The teenager could also be involved with Arsenal Under-21s if he recovers in time. The young Gunners are scheduled to face Sunderland Under-21s in Premier League 2 this weekend. However, Dowman’s performances have already put him on Arteta’s radar for senior opportunities. If he is fit, the manager could decide to keep him with the first team rather than send him back to the Under-21s. For now, Arsenal will not want to take unnecessary risks with a player who has made a strong impression despite being only 16.
Max Dowman’s Arsenal stats for the 2025/26 season, as per FOTMOB
:
Competition Appearances Starts Minutes Played Successful Dribbles Chances Created
Premier League 6 1 153 6 4
FA Cup 2 2 167 9 3
EFL Cup 2 1 98 5 2
Champions League 3 0 59 – –
Arteta faces more fitness concerns
As reported by Sports Mole, Dowman’s setback adds to a difficult international break for Arsenal. Several players have either withdrawn from their national squads or faced fitness concerns during the three-week window. Declan Rice did not join up with England because of workload management, while Jurrien Timber has had his minutes carefully controlled by the Netherlands.
Ezri Konsa has also returned to Arsenal after picking up a knock while with England. Kai Havertz and Christos Tzolis have faced separate hamstring problems after being involved with Germany and Greece respectively.
That leaves Arteta with several players to monitor before Arsenal return to league action. The club will hope some of those concerns clear up before the Leeds match. Dowman’s situation is less worrying for now. His withdrawal was enough to keep him out of England’s final game, but there is no indication of a major injury. Arsenal will wait for the medical assessment before deciding when the teenager can safely return.
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