Mikel Arteta hails 'unbelievable' Max Dowman as 16-year-old wonderkid makes history in Arsenal's Carabao Cup win over Ipswich
Teenager sparks emphatic victory
Dowman opened the scoring inside seven minutes with a stunning solo effort following a slick one-two with Eberechi Eze before grabbing his second just 90 seconds after the restart. Noni Madueke and Mikel Merino also got on the scoresheet to put the visitors in complete control at Portman Road. Late replies from Anis Mehmeti and Chuba Akpom proved mere consolations as the north London side sealed victory on an evening featuring 19 combined squad rotations.
Manager praises exceptional talent
The 16-year-old's standout display drew glowing praise from his manager in the immediate aftermath of the full-time whistle. Discussing Dowman's performance with the club's official website, Arteta said: "He was unbelievable again; some of the actions and connections that he can give us on the pitch are just a joy to watch. He was really efficient; he's getting more and more active in action; he can sustain for longer periods, and we know the talent that we have."
Historic brace earns acclaim
The achievement entered the record books as Dowman became only the second 16-year-old to score twice in a match for a Premier League side across all competitions, matching Rooney's October 2002 feat for Everton against Wrexham.
Merino, who captained the side, was equally effusive about the teenager when speaking to the club's official website: "He's an unbelievable talent, honestly, so young, so alive and you can see the joy in his eyes when he plays football. Obviously, many things to improve - he's very young - he needs to keep listening and learning from the veterans, but we're here to support him and we're going to get him to the best version of himself, for sure."
North Londoners await draw
The commanding display extended Arsenal's 100 per cent winning run in all competitions this season, underlining the sheer quality running through Arteta's young squad. Composed showings from Dowman and 17-year-old centre-back Marli Salmon provide an enormous morale boost ahead of a packed fixture schedule. The Gunners now turn their attention to Wednesday night's fourth-round Carabao Cup draw following Brighton's clash with Manchester United.
