There are already fans prompting a rivalry between Arsenal ace Max Dowman and Manchester United prospect JJ Gabriel, with both dominating the headlines
Max Dowman of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s third goal with Noni Madueke during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Ipswich Town and Arsenal at Portman Road on September 15, 2026 in Ipswich, England
Max Dowman has dominated the headlines for all of the right reasons(Image: 2026 The Arsenal Football Club Plc)
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Ian Wright has suggested JJ Gabriel's representatives may have prompted his Manchester United battle after seeing Max Dowman star for Arsenal.
Dowman, 16, made his debut for the Gunners last season and delivered a statement performance on Tuesday night in the 4-2 away victory over Ipswich Town. Mikel Arteta has been turning to the teenager more often and his magical display against the Tractor Boys, which saw him score twice, may have earned him more opportunities.
The day after his magic in East Anglia, news broke that Gabriel formally requested to leave Manchester United. After this news broke, Wright may have suggested that the experience of Dowman, and even Ethan Nwaneri, may have prompted the decision.
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Speaking on the Overlap, Wright said: "A touch older but, remember, Max was 15 and Ethan Nwaneri was 15 (when they made their debuts). So you might be seeing his representative thinking 'Well, they’ve got a chance, why can’t Man United give them a chance?”
Last year, Dowman came on during the victory over Leeds United to become the Premier League's youngest ever player - a match in which he won a penalty at the Emirates Stadium.
He broke the record set by Nwaneri, who was 15 years and 181 days old when he came on against Brentford in September 2022.
JJ Gabriel of Manchester United in action during the Premier League 2 match between Manchester United and Ipswich Town at Leigh Sports Village on August 24, 2026 in Leigh, England
Gabriel is reportedly looking at leaving Manchester United(Image: 2026 Manchester United FC)
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Looking at the situation with Dowman, Jamie Carragher warned Gabriel he may not fulfil his potential if he carries on down this path.
He said: "In the main, I think when the situations are like this, the players never really fulfil their potential. When you’ve got an entourage, maybe it’s the parents.
"We all know, growing up, even at our age, some parents were a nightmare with their kids, or they’re onto coaches about not getting enough minutes. You always look back at them 20 years later, I look back now and think that didn’t help your son.
Max Dowman of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Ipswich Town and Arsenal at Portman Road on September 15, 2026 in Ipswich, England
Dowman has 14 senior appearances for Arsenal(Image: 2026 The Arsenal Football Club Plc)
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"I would say 70-80% of situations, where I look and think the people around you or your parents are a nightmare and are hard to deal with, never end up what they should do because of the situation.”
It's a stark contrast to the development Dowman has been enjoying at Arsenal. After his display, Mikel Arteta did his best to calm the hype around the youngster, saying: "What we have to do is look after him. He's 16 years old. You don't see that in this league. In other leagues in Europe, that's a totally different context.
"But in this league, with the demands that the league [has], the players and everything put on you, we really need to make sure every time we throw him in, he's in the right context with the right preparation. That's what we are trying to do."