Arsenal - Max Dowman
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Arsenal youngster Max Dowman marked his Premier League debut with a dazzling display in Saturday’s 5-0 win over Leeds United, declaring afterwards that his journey is only just beginning.
The 15-year-old forward became the second-youngest player in Arsenal’s history when he replaced summer signing Noni Madueke with 25 minutes left at the Emirates Stadium. His introduction drew one of the loudest cheers of the afternoon, and he wasted no time in making an impression.
Dowman’s fearless cameo saw him torment Leeds defender Gabriel Gudmundsson before winning a late penalty that allowed Viktor Gyokeres to complete his brace and seal Arsenal’s emphatic victory.
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The teenager’s debut capped a memorable day for the Gunners, who unveiled £60m signing Eberechi Eze before kick-off and watched fellow newcomer Gyokeres open his account with two goals. Jurrien Timber also struck twice, while Bukayo Saka added a first-half effort, as Mikel Arteta’s side extended their perfect start to the season.
Dowman, long touted as the latest jewel from Arsenal’s famed Hale End Academy, has been training regularly with the first team for over a year. His performances in pre-season fuelled expectations, and his confident display against Leeds suggests he could be in line for more senior minutes this campaign.
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Reacting to his debut on Instagram, Dowman wrote: “Premier League debut in front of all of you at the Emirates. A proud day for me and my family. This is just the beginning!”
Arteta praised both the youngster’s maturity and the grounding provided by his family. “This is what we see every single day in training,” the Arsenal boss said.
“We just gathered information about how he handles situations, being in the squad, not being selected at Manchester, then coming on the bench and being ready.A big compliment to his family as well. There is a kid with a level of maturity, stability and hunger that is very difficult to see.”
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