Mikel Arteta Reveals His Message to Arsenal Wonderkid Max Dowman Before Historic Goal
Mikel Arteta has disclosed the instructions he gave to Arsenal's teenage sensation Max Dowman and his fellow substitutes before the 16-year-old made Premier League history against Everton. On Saturday, Dowman announced himself by becoming the youngest goalscorer in the league's history, capping Arsenal's 2-0 victory with a stoppage-time strike in North London.
The Gunners left it late to secure the win, which moved them 10 points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table. Viktor Gyokeres broke the deadlock in the 89th minute after coming off the bench, and Dowman followed his lead in added time. The midfielder evaded multiple challenges from Everton players to burst away and score into an open net, as goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had gone up for the Toffees' late corner.
Arteta's Direct Instructions to His Substitutes
Dowman, who entered the fray in the 74th minute, displayed clear attacking intent, and it seems he heeded his manager's advice. In his post-match press conference, Arteta was asked what he had told his substitutes before they took to the pitch.
"Go and do your thing and win us the game," the Arsenal manager replied. "The same to Viktor and to [Gabriel] Martinelli, when something special has to happen."
In an interview with Sky Sports, Arteta elaborated on his message, stating: "That is it at the moment. The same with Gabi, I think a lot of the players that came in, the impact that the finishers are having in the season is remarkable. Everybody's important, everybody's adding to the team. And yeah, there are moments where you have to be patient with all the dominance and the amount of short situations that you have when you don't score."
He added: "The anxiety is building, and you have to stay composed, be relentless in your desire to win the game and make something happen. And the team really had that experience today."
A Magical Moment for Arsenal and Dowman
Reflecting on Dowman's historic goal, Arteta described it as a "beautiful day" for the club. He said: "It was a great moment, especially the way the goal was built up, and we had like 10-15 seconds to really enjoy it. We knew the goal was about to happen, and it was magical, all the bench and all the players together, jumping off into the crowd."
Dowman will now be hoping to start Arsenal's next game, as they prepare to host Bayer Leverkusen for the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie. The Gunners drew 1-1 in Germany on Wednesday, thanks to a late penalty from Kai Havertz.
This victory not only solidifies Arsenal's position at the summit of the Premier League but also highlights the impactful role of substitutes in their campaign. With young talents like Dowman stepping up, the future looks bright for the North London side.
