Our 5-0 success against Leeds United will live long in the memory for many reasons, but it’ll never be forgotten by Max Dowman who made his Gunners debut in the second half.
Aged just 15 years and 235 days, Max made his professional debut in the 64th minute when he replaced Noni Madueke, and became the second-youngest player in Premier League history.
And in a nice piece of symmetry, he shared the field with the current record holder - Ethan Nwaneri who was 54 days younger than Max when he made his Gunners bow against Brentford back in September 2022.
Three years ago, Ethan became the first 15-year-old to play in the Premier League, and also became the youngest player ever to appear in a top-flight match in English football, beating the previous record held by Sunderland’s Derek Foster in August 1964. Foster was just three days older at 15 and 184 days.
Youngest player to play in the PL
Date of debut
Player
Club
Opponent
Age
Sep 2022
Ethan Nwaneri
Arsenal
Brentford
15y 181d
Aug 2025
Max Dowman
Arsenal
Leeds
15y 235d
Apr 2025
Jeremy Monga
Leicester
Newcastle
15y 271d
May 2019
Harvey Elliott
Fulham
Wolves
16y 030d
May 2007
Matthew Briggs
Fulham
Middlesbrough
16y 068d
May 2013
Isaiah Brown
West Brom
Wigan
16y 117d
Aug 2003
Aaron Lennon
Leeds
Tottenham
16y 129d
Aug 2008
Jose Baxter
Everton
Blackburn
16y 191d
Feb 1999
Gary McSheffrey
Coventry
Aston Villa
16y 198d
Mar 2015
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy
Aston Villa
Sunderland
16y 198d
The pair are also the two youngest players in Arsenal history, and indeed the only players to feature for us before their 16th birthday.
However, another current Gunners holds the record for being our youngest ever starter. Jack Porter’s appearance against Bolton Wanderers last season - a night that saw Ethan score his first goals for the club - came when he was 16 years and 72 days.
That means that Max, who won’t turn 16 until New Year’s Eve, has until mid-March to take that record from our academy custodian.
Arsenal's youngest ever players
Date of debut
Player
Age
Sep 2022
Ethan Nwaneri
15y 181d
Aug 2025
Max Dowman
15y 235d
Sep 2024
Jack Porter
16y 72d
Oct 2003
Cesc Fàbregas
16y 177d
Sep 2008
Jack Wilshere
16y 256d
Nov 1999
Jermaine Pennant
16y 319d
Aug 1953
Gerry Ward
16y 321d
Sep 1978
Paul Vaessen
16y 346d
Oct 2003
Ryan Smith
16y 352d
Jan 2014
Gedion Zelalem
16y 363d
Given his impressive cameo off the bench against Leeds, Max has shown he has an eye for goal, and another long-standing club could be his if he continues to receive first-team opportunities in 2025/26.
Back in December 2003 - six years before Max was born - a fresh-faced Cesc Fabregas made a name for himself when he netted in a League Cup tie against Wolves, becoming our youngest-ever goalscorer aged 16 years and 212 days.
With that in mind, should Max score his first Gunners goal at any point this season, then he would leapfrog the Spaniard in the rankings and potentially take that particular slice of club history, unless another academy product gets there first!
Arsenal's youngest ever scorers
Date
Player
Opponent
Competition
Age
Dec 2003
Cesc Fabregas
Wolves
League Cup
16y 212d
Sep 2008
Jack Wilshere
Sheff Utd
League Cup
16y 266d
Mar 1982
Stewart Robson
Ipswich
First Division
17y 127d
Nov 2004
Arturo Lupoli
Everton
League Cup
17y 138d
Sep 2024
Ethan Nwaneri
Bolton
League Cup
17y 188d
Jan 1895
Thomas Meade
Newcastle
Second Division
17y 243d
May 1962
George Armstrong
Everton
First Division
17y 265d
Apr 1963
Jon Sammels
Blackpool
First Division
17y 278d
Jan 1930
Cliff Bastin
Sheff Wed
First Division
17y 296d
Oct 2008
Aaron Ramsey
Fenerbahce
Champions League
17y 300d
Jan 1938
Reg Lewis
Everton
First Division
17y 300d
And while we may have the youngest Premier League player in history in Ethan, should Max score in the top-flight before September 27, 2026, then we could also have the competition’s youngest scorer.
That record has been held for 20 years by James Vaughan, who scored for Everton against Crystal Palace aged 16 years and 270 days in April 2005. Playing, and indeed scoring, for the Toffees that day was a certain Mikel Arteta, who could be instrumental yet again in helping a young prospect set a new Premier League benchmark.
Youngest PL scorers
Date of goal
Player
Club
Opponent
Age
Apr 2005
James Vaughan
Everton
Crystal Palace
16y 270d
Dec 2002
James Milner
Leeds
Sunderland
16y 356d
Oct 2002
Wayne Rooney
Everton
Arsenal
16y 360d
Aug 2004
Cesc Fabregas
Arsenal
Blackburn
17y 113d
May 1997
Michael Owen
Liverpool
Wimbledon
17y 143d
Sep 1992
Andy Turner
Tottenham
Everton
17y 166d
Apr 2009
Federico Macheda
Man Utd
Aston Villa
17y 226d
Dec 2023
Lewis Miley
Newcastle
Fulham
17y 229d
Nov 2024
Ethan Nwaneri
Arsenal
Nottm Forest
17y 247d
16/05/2021
Daniel Jebbison
Sheff Utd
Everton
17y 276d
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