LONDON, March 14 - Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had a gut feeling that 16-year-old Max Dowman would make an impact against Everton on Saturday.
With his side struggling, Arteta introduced Dowman at the hour mark. The teenager provided the spark: his cross led to Viktor Gyokeres’ opener in the 89th minute. Then, deep in stoppage time, Dowman raced half the pitch to become the youngest scorer in Arsenal’s history and the youngest ever to score in the Premier League.
Arteta called Dowman’s maturity and poise 'not normal' for a player so young. He credited the teenager’s natural decision-making and ability to thrive under pressure.
The goal came after a cleared corner. Dowman headed past an Everton defender, danced past another, then sprinted toward the empty net before slotting home.
‘It felt like 45 seconds,’ Dowman said. ‘The energy… it was incredible.’
Arsenal moved 10 points clear of Manchester City as they secured their fourth straight league win.