{"id":1363,"date":"2026-04-09T16:31:54","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T16:31:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/?p=1363"},"modified":"2026-04-09T16:31:54","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T16:31:54","slug":"rio-ferdinand-names-surprise-key-player-for-arsenal-to-win-premier-league-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/?p=1363","title":{"rendered":"Rio Ferdinand names surprise \u2018key player\u2019 for Arsenal to win Premier League | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n\t\t\"Manchester\t<\/div>
Former Man Utd and England defender Rio Ferdinand (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rio Ferdinand has overlooked the likes of Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes and named\u00a016-year-old Max Dowman as the \u2018key player\u2019\u00a0in\u00a0Arsenal\u2019s Premier League title push. <\/p>\n

The Gunners, bidding to win the league for the first time since 2004, will look to move 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League when they face Bournemouth on Saturday. <\/p>\n

After Arsenal\u2019s match against Bournemouth, second-placed Manchester City will have two games in hand, the first against Chelsea on Sunday. <\/p>\n

Mikel Arteta\u2019s side remain firm favourites to win the Premier League but defeats to Man City in the Carabao Cup final and a dismal FA Cup exit at the hands of Championship side Southampton has raised concern in north London. <\/p>\n

Arteta will hope to lean on experienced pros in his squad like Rice and Gabriel, but Ferdinand believes it is teenage sensation Dowman who could be \u2018massive\u2019 for Arsenal in the run-in. <\/p>\n

Dowman, who turned 16 in December, has only made four appearances for Arsenal in 2026 but seems to make an impact whenever he is used by Arteta, scoring a superb goal in the 2-0 win over Everton last month. <\/p>\n

The midfielder\u2019s breakthrough has led to calls for Dowman to be included in Thomas Tuchel\u2019s England squad for the World Cup this summer and Ferdinand believes he \u2018has to go\u2019. <\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Sporting\t<\/div>
Arsenal teenage star Max Dowman (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Asked about the impact Dowman can have for club and country over the next few months, Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel<\/a>: \u2018I think he\u00a0has to\u00a0go\u00a0(to the World Cup). I think\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0special. <\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s\u00a0doing the same thing he did through every age group in the Premier League against grown men.\u00a0He\u2019s\u00a0been doing the same thing in training against Arsenal players who are\u00a0top of the Premier League. <\/p>\n

\u2018Even the players there are going \u201cwow\u201d,\u00a0even the manager is saying\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0not seen anything like this from a player so young.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0crazy. <\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Sporting\t<\/div>
Mikel Arteta is hoping to lift the Premier League trophy (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Those talents\u00a0have to\u00a0go \u2013 Michael Owen went to the World Cup young and blew up the\u00a0whole world. You\u00a0have to\u00a0give these talents the experience and even if he went there and\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0play it would be useful for him to get used to the environment and playing at a tournament. <\/p>\n

\u2018That would be hugely valuable;\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0seen players do that before and benefit from it.\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0play a minute at the 1998 World Cup but that experience really helped at the 2002 tournament. <\/p>\n

\u2018I would love to see him go \u2013 it would be so exciting for English football.\u00a0I would 100% take him \u2013 look at Spain with Lamine Yamal,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0not comparing\u00a0them\u00a0but they saw a special talent and took him and then he blew\u00a0everyone\u2019s\u00a0socks off.\u2019 <\/p>\n

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Discussing Dowman\u2019s role at title-chasing Arsenal, ex-Manchester United and England defender Ferdinand added: \u2018He could be the key to Mikel Arteta getting Arsenal over the line, I think\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0that good. <\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s\u00a0not got the\u00a0mental\u00a0scars\u00a0that the other players have because of what\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0gone through in\u00a0previous\u00a0seasons. <\/p>\n

\u2018You 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. <\/p>\n

\u2018He could be a massive key for Arsenal in that sense.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Arsenal ended their two-game losing run in the Champions League on Tuesday night, beating Sporting 1-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.<\/p>\n

The European clash looked set to end in a stalemate before substitute Kai Havertz scored an injury-time winner to give Arsenal a narrow lead going into next week\u2019s second leg.<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Jamie Carragher blasts \u2018awful\u2019 Liverpool star after PSG defeat: \u2018He makes a mistake every game\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Arne Slot explains Mohamed Salah snub after Liverpool defeat to PSG<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Luis Enrique admits \u2018surprise\u2019 with Arne Slot decision after PSG beat Liverpool<\/span><\/p>\n

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