Former Manchester City star Micah Richards believes Max Dowman was the lone spark in Arsenal’s FA Cup loss to Southampton. He said that the teenager was confident on the ball and was let down by the senior players.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards said that Dowman played well and deserves credit for his performance despite the loss. He added that the teenager was keen to prove that he was a player at Arsenal’s level despite his age and only lacked the finishing touch in the match.
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“We have to give a shout out to Dowman. I think Dowman played well. On another day, he scores a couple of goals. He just couldn’t get his touch right in the last bit of it. But when you are looking at Arsenal and thinking Dowman is the best player, he has only been playing for a few weeks now. The senior players need to step up.”
Dowman played the full match for Arsenal, but was criticized by some fans after he failed to track back for the opening goal of the match. The teenager was slow to come back and help Ben White, who misjudged the ball and gave Ross Stewart enough time to control the ball and slot it past Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The Saints sealed a 2-1 win in the 85th minute through Shea Charles after Viktor Gyokeres equalized in the 68th minute.
England urged to take Max Dowman to the World Cup by former Arsenal man
Former Arsenal star Jack Wilshere believes England should call up Max Dowman for the FIFA World Cup. He compared the teenager to Lamine Yamal, saying that Spain would be taking their star player and Thomas Tuchel should do the same. He told The Telegraph:
“The only thing I would say is, Spain would take him. That’s what I think. We have this way at times in England of building them up but then protecting them. You get caught in that (place): ‘If he goes what will people say?’ He (Dowman) is definitely good enough. Even if he goes and he doesn’t play that much.
“Which I think he can. I think he is good enough. He is going to be there eventually. I understand people saying, ‘Maybe not’. But I also think Yamal went as a 16-year-old (to Euro 2024) and he was the best player in the tournament.”
Thomas Tuchel has not ruled out taking the Arsenal teenager to the FIFA World Cup, but did not pick him for the recent friendlies in March.
Edited by Sripad
