Max Dowman has the chance to start this week for Arsenal despite serving a three-match suspension for red card against Fleetwood Town
Max Dowman was sent off for Arsenal against Fleetwood Town
Max Dowman was sent off for Arsenal against Fleetwood Town(Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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Max Dowman missed his first Arsenal match through suspension, watching from back in London as his teammates secured a historic victory at Anfield. The 16-year-old was missing after being sent off against Fleetwood Town in the shocking cup defeat.
The sending-off had become the big story of the week, both in terms of the action from the teenage star and Mikel Arteta’s reaction as the forward left the field. Arteta said that his reaction had been simply him being himself and that this was ‘not Disneyland’.
The Spaniard had received mixed reactions to how he was pictured engaging with Dowman. Despite the red card, Arsenal had appealed to the FA to have the three-match suspension either reduced or removed; however, this was dismissed.
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"Very disappointed, to be fair,” Arteta said when asked ahead of the trip to Liverpool about the dismissal of the appeal. “Especially with the reckless tackles that he received, and then his reaction is minimal in relation to the action.
“Disappointed that it's not been overturned after looking at the action back, to be fair."
Hull City and Newcastle United will be the next games that Dowman misses; however, because of the regulations regarding suspensions, the youngster will be eligible to play in Arsenal’s Wednesday night UEFA Champions League clash with Slavia Praha.
With Bukayo Saka out injured and Noni Madueke overcoming fitness concerns of his own to start and play the full match at Anfield, it would make sense that Dowman comes straight into the starting line-up.
This would be his first start in the competition since breaking into the side. Facing the winless Czech outfit, who sit 32nd of 36 clubs with one draw and two losses, appears the perfect opportunity to give the starlet minutes and protect the only fit senior and natural right winger in the side.
It will also be a chance for several other players who failed to deliver against Fleetwood Town the opportunity to redeem themselves. Piero Hincapie, Ben White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Viktor Gyokeres, Mikel Merino, Cristhian Mosquera, Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi were all on the bench at Anfield.