O'Leary backs Dowman to become a superstar after brace lights up Carabao Cup win

Former Arsenal captain David O’Leary has declared that Max Dowman is destined for superstardom, insisting the only obstacle standing between the 16-year-old and the very top of the game is the player himself. The assessment came after Dowman scored twice in Arsenal’s 4-2 Carabao Cup win over Ipswich, his only appearance of the season so far.

“For years, everybody has been talking about Max behind the scenes,” O’Leary told talkSPORT. “Arsenal are very lucky to have him, and Max is lucky to have an outstanding manager in Mikel to push him on.”

O’Leary, who holds the club record with 722 appearances for the Gunners, was effusive in his praise but measured in his expectations for how Arteta should manage the teenager’s development. “It is about nurturing him. We know he is going to be an absolute top player, and it is about giving him the right time, the right games and not going crazy about him.”

The former skipper highlighted Dowman’s mentality as a key asset. “He is not arrogant, he is very confident, he is not shy when he gets the ball, and he enjoys the big arena, and he has an edge to his game. If we don’t see Max as a superstar, it will be because of Max himself.”

Dowman already made history in March when he became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history, netting against Everton at just 16 years and 73 days old. Across all competitions, he has now made 14 appearances for Arsenal, contributing three goals while operating as an attacking midfielder and on the right wing.

Breaking into Arteta’s starting XI on a regular basis remains a significant challenge, however. Arsenal have won seven of their opening seven Premier League games, and Dowman faces fierce competition from captain Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka for a place in the side. Whether he features in Saturday’s trip to Brighton remains to be seen, given the depth available to the Premier League champions.