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Rio Ferdinand believes that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta should be fielding Max Dowman on a regular basis during the run-in.
The teenager has not shown any fear when playing for the Gunners, and Ferdinand says it’s the kind of spirit the Gunners need to overcome Manchester City in the title race:
“He could be the key to Mikel Arteta getting Arsenal over the line, I think he’s that good. He’s not got the mental scars that the other players have because of what they’ve gone through in previous seasons.”
“You might need someone like him to lean on and tell him to be fearless and help us through it, without giving him too much responsibility. He could be a massive key for Arsenal in that sense.”
Dowman is ready to make the step up
As Ferdinand points out, the teenager’s ability to play with a sense of freedom is exactly what Arsenal need at the moment.
Most of the first-team have been through a title race where they have come up short, but Dowman does not have those “mental scars.”
Rather than playing with restrictions and being extremely regimented, to get over the line, Dowman offers a different approach. Whether Arteta agrees it is the right course of action is another matter.
Buy a Max Dowman kit from Arsenal Direct here
Arsenal can stretch their lead this weekend
While the Carabao Cup final defeat to City and the shock loss to Southampton in the FA Cup have prompted talk that their Premier League title hopes could go the same way, it is important to point out that the Gunners have a nine-point lead at the top of the table.
Furthermore, that advantage could increase to twelve if they beat Bournemouth on Saturday, with City facing Chelsea away from home a day later.
Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here
