Arsenal 2 Everton 0 – Max Dowman to the rescue: Youngest scorer in Premier League history keeps title bid on track

Nothing about Arsenal’s bid to win the Premier League title appears easy, and it looked like two more valuable points were about to be dropped against Everton on Saturday evening.

That was until a certain Max Dowman helped create an 89th-minute winner for fellow substitute Viktor Gyokeres, then added a second himself, becoming the youngest goalscorer in the competition’s history in the process at 16 years and 73 days.

The first half was illuminated by two things that didn’t happen. Firstly, Dwight McNeil almost scored twice for Everton, one effort stopped by an extraordinary block from a stretching Riccardo Calafiori, before McNeil hit a bending shot against the bar a minute later.

Then, midway through the half, Arsenal thought they should have had a penalty after Kai Havertz was brought down. Replays showed that Michael Keane had stepped onto the German’s heel, but there was no intervention from VAR, who deemed the contact ‘minimal’.

Arsenal were indebted to David Raya early in the second half, after a reflex save denied Beto from close range, and tension built as the second half progressed, with the home side enjoying plenty of the ball but struggling to break down a well-drilled Everton defence.

Arteta turned to his bench, including giving Dowman his first Premier League minutes since August. Just as it looked like being a night of intense frustration for Arsenal, Dowman bent in a cross to the far post, which Jordan Pickford missed, only to see the ball roll off Piero Hincapie into Gyokeres’ path. The Swede duly passed the ball into the empty net.

Then, as Everton pushed for an equaliser from a corner, sending Pickford up to try to score, Dowman picked up a loose ball and ran two-thirds of the pitch to finish into the net. Cue pandemonium at the Emirates.

Amy Lawrence breaks down the key moments from a history-making game.

Max Dowman: superstar

“FORWARD!” screamed virtually every Arsenal supporter inside this pit of desperation with 88 minutes on the clock, as David Raya and Gabriel passed the ball to one another seemingly in no particular hurry. My God, did they not realise what was happening?

Within a minute, Arsenal flipped into euphoria. It was deserved, a reward for Mikel Arteta throwing every attacking utensil in his kitchen sink at it as his team searched for the opening they craved. They knew they needed higher tempo, higher energy, and higher shooting numbers here after slogging their way through games recently, and the gift of 1-0 to the Arsenal was delivered mainly by a 16-year-old prodigy. Max Dowman was an inspired throw of the dice in a game of such importance.

His floated ball outmanoeuvred Everton’s defence and Hincapie bundled it towards Gyokeres. He could not miss.

And that was just the hors d’oeuvre. Dowman then delivered a Michelin star moment all of his own, running the length of the pitch to produce a goal for the ages.

Dowman run through to score Arsenal’s second (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Can Havertz be the attacking leader Arsenal crave?

Arsenal need Kai Havertz to be fit and in full flow in this crunch part of the season. He has been such a sore omission. Much was understandably expected of his first start at centre-forward for over a year. The way his profile and characteristics differ from Gyokeres gave Arsenal a creative focal point to knit attacks together more cleanly. Clever flicks around the corner, cushioned touches, and more unpredictable movement were a boon. It was a reminder of the great football compliment that certain players make others around them better.

Havertz was unfortunate not to earn a penalty when he surged onto Eberechi Eze’s cute ball and ended up on the turf as he prepared to shoot, although his Achilles was trodden on, it was evidently not enough for the officials to be convinced.

Arsenal are still managing his minutes carefully and after a useful hour, he departed, replaced by the more battering ram style of Gyokeres.

All hands — and feet — to the defensive pump required

This was a balancing act between the search for a match-winner and the requirement to keep the opposition at bay. Everton carried the scent of serious danger when opportunities presented themselves. Arsenal had to use their wits at times, most notably when Calafiori improvised to make a clearance that was ridiculously off the cuff. It was less football, more jazz flourish. As McNeil (not for the first time) took aim, Calafiori was trying to get back to his feet and suddenly flicked his legs up, while his arms were pushing his body up, and blocked brilliantly.

It was part of a spell when Everton had three chances in quick succession to give Arsenal a serious fright. They were dangerous when they sprang, and David Raya needed to be agile and composed.

Did pairing Saka and Madueke help Arsenal’s quest for wide balance?

Not quite. Arsenal have tried a lot of options, particularly down the left flank, this season. Leandro Trossard began as the main man, Gabriel Martinelli has had his moments, Eze was tried out briefly in that role, and Madueke had another chance here. He earned his chance partly on the back of his efforts in Leverkusen in midweek, which helped Arsenal to a Champions League point. His effectiveness is tweaked when he is on the left, though, as he tends to naturally turn inside.

(Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)

In theory, two direct runners with pace and trickery on either flank has potential. Saka is still searching for more potent form. Martinelli came on for Madueke to try to turn the screw, and intriguingly, Max Dowman was entrusted to make something happen from the right.

What did Arteta say?

Mikel Arteta described Max Dowman’s record-breaking goal as “one of the best moments that Arsenal have lived together at the Emirates.

Arteta said that he had given Dowman some simple instructions before he came on. “‘Go and do your thing and win us the game’. And the same with Viktor and to (Gabriel) Martinelli. I said these are the moments in the season when something special has to happen, and he knows he has the ability, which I have to give him the opportunity, and he will deliver.

“It felt like time stood still when Dowman closed in on the Everton goal. “For me, it felt like 45 seconds!” Arteta said. “And I think it was really special because you could sense that it was building up, building up and you see there’s no goalie there, ‘it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen’. It was incredible. It was so loud, so energetic. What a moment.”

“I think his [Dowman’s] character, his personality and the fact that, as I said, he doesn’t seem to be fazed by the pressure or his teammates or the opponent. I’ve seen a lot of players with talent but at 16, very few that can cope with that level of demand.”

(Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Arteta also praised Everton’s performance in a close-fought game. “A really good side. Really well coached and every time they went in and around the box, you sense how dangerous they are and they’re very difficult to break down. You play as well with the fact that the game, the longer it goes, you have the necessity to win the game and the will to win it and you have to be calm. I think the team showed a lot of maturity.

“The crowd as well, I think it was good today to be composed and wait for the right moment and leave the place to make the decision when it was needed to deliver the moment. At the end it was all happiness.”

What next for Arsenal?

Tuesday, March 17: Bayer Leverkusen (home), Champions League round-of-16 second leg, 8pm UK, 4pm ET