'Superstar' Dowman shows his class - but Arsenal know caution is needed

Arsenal teenager Max Dowman shone with two goals in the 4-2 Carabao Cup win over Ipswich Town - but boss Mikel Arteta warned they cannot rush his development.

The 16-year-old played 13 times last season, but has had to settle for a place on the bench so far this campaign - until now.

He scored two lovely goals at Portman Road to stake his claim for more minutes in the Premier League.

But Arteta warned: "He is 16 years old and we have to be really cautious.

"We don't want to stop him, we don't want to put the brakes on him, we need to develop him and we are fully aware what he needs. He will have opportunities."

His first was a fine solo goal as he ran through, leaving defenders on the floor before slotting in.

"Unbelievable, he's unpredictable, he can go either way, so fluid, so nice to watch," said Arteta.

And for his second goal, Dowman showed good composure to place the ball in the bottom corner.

He is just the second 16-year-old to score two goals in a game for a Premier League side in any competition, after Wayne Rooney for Everton against Wrexham in 2002 - which was also in the League Cup.

"With the demands that we put in them, to be able to do that is extremely difficult and he's coping better and better and better," Arteta added.

"He's an unbelievable player because of the character that he has and how much he loves to play at the biggest stage.

"It's not easy [to contain the hype], I understand, but 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."

Perhaps Dowman might have expected to have more minutes this season.

His breakthrough came last season as he broke several records.

He became the youngest Champions League player ever, aged 15, Arsenal's youngest ever starter as well as the Premier League's youngest starter, goalscorer and title winner.

In 13 appearances in all competitions, he scored once - against Everton to make a win safe during the title run-in.

In fact his strike, where he ran the ball halfway down the pitch before scoring into an empty net - with Jordan Pickford upfield - was voted Arsenal's goal of the season.

And all of this while he was studying for school exams.

He received his GCSEs from Brentwood School in the summer and left school to focus on his football career.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp said: "He is a wonderful player who will be able to do everything in the game.

"But just give him time and how they are handling him is perfect. What you don't want to do is not give him the amount of game time he needs. He is an elite player."

Breaking into the Arsenal first team will be a tough task for Dowman especially when the Premier League champions are in such fine form.

Arsenal have won all seven games this season, across four competitions.

Dowman was an unused substitute in four of those games, and not involved for the other two, before playing all 90 minutes against Ipswich Town.

The Gunners have played the same attackers in each league game so far - Bukayo Saka, Christos Tzolis, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz.

But Dowman, especially considering Arteta turned to him in key moments in last season's title race, will hope to gain more of a supporting role.

"He's an unbelievable talent," team-mate Mikel Merino told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He will be a star in the future if he keeps his eyes and ears open and keeps learning.

"He's just 16 so he needs a lot of coaching, especially tactically. But I can't take anything away from him. He's always keen to learn. We'll keep helping him."

Quite possibly the best 16-year-old in the world, it is not unthinkable that he could earn his way into England's Euro 2028 thinking.

In fact there was even a debate about whether he should be going to the World Cup earlier this year.

"He is a real superstar," said former England defender Conor Coady on Sky Sports.

"A 16-year-old boy should not be doing this. He has got no better manager than Arteta to look after him. You want him to be looked after properly. If he plays every game at this age, he won't be scoring goals like this."

And it comes on the day it emerged highly rated 15-year-old striker JJ Gabriel is on the verge of leaving Manchester United.

Gabriel had been expected to make his debut in Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie with Brighton.

That will probably deny him the opportunity to break up the stat that the three youngest players to score in the League Cup for a Premier League side all did so for Arsenal.

They are Cesc Fabregas (16y 212d v Wolves, 2003), Dowman (16y 258d v Ipswich) and Jack Wilshere (16y 266d v Sheffield United, 2008).