Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker can’t help but get excited about Arsenal star Max Dowman after the teenager’s “incredible” performance in the Gunners’ Carabao Cup win over Brighton on Wednesday.
The 15-year-old was handed his first senior start against the Seagulls as two other Hale End academy graduates Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka secured victory for Mikel Arteta’s side to set up a quarter-final clash with Crystal Palace in December.
And Gary Lineker was full of praise for Dowman as he reeled off some of the stats from the game on The Rest Is Football podcast.
“Max Dowman had the most dribbles completed, the most fouls and duels won at 15-years-old, my goodness me,” he said.
“Incredible. He [Arteta] has obviously got to get the balance right in terms of playing him and protecting him, but bloody hell man wow, 15, to go and play on that stage and just look right. He looks as if he belongs there.”
Lineker then quoted Arteta’s comments on the teenager from his post-match press conference before continuing, “I think people are thinking a generational talent, maybe England have found one. But you have to be slightly hesitant, not build him too much…”
Shearer then interrupted and said: “But you can’t not talk about him, Gaz. You have to.”
Lineker added: “Yeah you can’t, it’s like Lamine Yamal we talked about him when he was 15/16. If there’s something as exciting and talented as Max Dowman, then let’s talk about him. Ultimately, how well he does will be how he handles this and he seems to be someone mature beyond his years.
“He’ll have to deal with fame at a very early age which is not easy, but we’ve seen it before with young talent. It’s going to be really interesting following his career and seeing how Arteta does deal with him. It’s like anything, if he’s that good, you find a way to play him.”
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The trio then discussed how impressive Arsenal were after Arteta made ten changes from his starting XI.
Lineker said: “He [Arteta] rotated a significant amount, but it shows you the strength in depth that Arsenal now have. I thought Brighton gave a good fist of themselves, particularly in the first half. Kepa came into play and made one or two very good saves, but they’ve won again.”
Richards then said: “They changed the whole of the back four as well. Look at this for a second string defence, Ben White, Mosquera, Hincapie and Myles Lewis-Skelly. That is a second-choice back four – that is ridiculous. Arsenal now are really cooking on something.”