Max Dowman is an Arsenal cheat code – Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka should be nervous

Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka and other Arsenal attackers have been put on alert.

That’s because Hale End graduate Max Dowman has been tipped to play a huge role in the Gunners’ title run-in.

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The 16-year-old became the youngest Premier League goalscorer with a late strike against Everton last month, which was followed up by becoming the youngest player to appear in the Champions League knockout stage against Sporting Lisbon.

And despite only playing 43 minutes of Premier League football spread across three fixtures, the Inside Gooners panel believe that he is set to become an important fixture for the club between now and the end of the season.

Bukayo Saka is set to return from injury soon, but he has not been at his best this year with just six goals and three assists in the top-flight, while Eberechi Eze has missed the last three games due to a calf knock.

Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz have also struggled with form and injuries this year.

And with Arsenal looking to win the Premier League and Champions League, Dowman could be the one to unlock certain defences.

Max power

Speaking on the latest edition of Inside Gooners, broadcaster and Goonerverse creator James Bayliss said: “I thought the Southampton performance was so impressive. What I loved about it was that in the first ten minutes, he was struggling to beat his full-back, but he got better and better.

“What we’ve seen of him is this guile and glide and a magical ability to dribble from the gods, but against Southampton and Sporting, there was a bit more grit to it.

“There was a grit to it and a maturity for men’s football.

“I never thought Max Dowman was going to get the minutes or the moment he had against Everton, and I now think he’ll play a semi-crucial role in the run-in.”

But Perry Groves, who won two league titles at Highbury, believes the teenager could prove to be instrumental in Arsenal winning a first Premier League title since 2004.

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He remarked: “I don’t think he’ll be semi-crucial, he’ll be crucial because when he comes on, there is positivity from the fans and players.

“He’s 16, so he has no fear, if he gets tackled three or four times, he doesn’t care.

“He buys you really good free-kicks because other teams are resorting to fouling him. He’s a cheat, and it’s really scary.”

Regarding Saka and Eze, Bayliss was asked by host Nick Bright if Dowman’s rise was even more important with Saka and Eze injured and struggling for form.

To which he stated: “All the forwards and [No] 10s are struggling for some kind of creative and inventive form.

“I do think the form of some of those forwards [hasn’t been good enough]. But it’s a shame about Eze – the injury came at the wrong time.

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“He was starting to find some form in the ten, but I do have larger concerns, and I wonder how many forwards across the Premier League are in great form.

“I do wonder if a trump card at this stage of the season helps. If you think to 2023/24, we moved Kai Havertz from midfield to lead the line, and it just gave us a different way of playing.

“I can imagine for the players, it gets a little stale and having someone who can give you something different freshens up the team.

“And when it’s a magical 16-year-old, it gets you off your feet.

“It still feels wrong to say we should lean on him, but he is an added ingredient to this Arsenal team.”

Groves concluded: “He’s enjoying the position that he’s in. For the older players, this might be the most important six weeks of their careers because they might never be in this position again.

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“Dowman won’t be thinking about that, and you can tell that he just thinks he should be in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.”

Saka’s struggles

When fit, Saka and Noni Madueke are ahead of Dowman in the pecking order on the right.

But in particular, Saka has been inconsistent this campaign despite Arsenal’s title charge.

As such, talkSPORT pundit and West Ham United icon Carlton Cole doesn’t think Saka can be put in that world-class bracket.

Speaking earlier this year on The Sports Bar, he said: “He’s going to have to come back more on form and get the goals and get the assists like in yesteryear. But in this season he’s been a bit quiet this year.

“I’m not sure about world-class. I think he’s a good proper Premier League player. Like, someone you can rely on, and Arsenal can rely on him because the system works for him.

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“I think he’s finding it, not, I wouldn’t say difficult, but different this season because you’ve got Noni Madueke, he’s got challenges for his spot so if he’s not playing well he’s out the team. 

“I don’t think he’s ever had that competition so maybe he’s better with no competition. Some players are different. Some players react differently.”

It remains to be seen whether boss Mikel Arteta will hand a first league start to Dowman in Saturday’s 12:30pm kick-off against Bournemouth – live on talkSPORT.