'The best' – Max Dowman sends message to Liverpool player who wowed him vs Newcastle
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Credit: Imago
Jonathan Burnett
Tue 26 August 2025 15:41, UK
Liverpool’s meeting with Arsenal on 31 August could see two of the Premier League’s youngest talents face off.
Max Dowman became the second-youngest Premier League debutant of all time when he came off the bench in Arsenal‘s 5-0 victory over Leeds on 23 August, and won the penalty for the Gunners’ final goal.
Dowman joined current team-mate Ethan Nwaneri as one of only two players to feature in the Premier League before turning 16, though Theo Walcott urged Arsenal to manage his minutes going forward.
Eberechi Eze‘s switch from Crystal Palace to Arsenal could put paid to Dowman’s chances of featuring as an attacking midfield option, but Liverpool‘s use of their own young starlet could provide a blueprint.
Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images
Nwaneri’s debut at 15 years and 181 days against Brentford may have denied Dowman the record as the Premier League’s youngest-ever player, but Rio Ngumoha ripped up the history books two days later.
Ngumoha was brought off the bench in injury time of Liverpool’s clash at Newcastle on Monday with the scores level at 2-2, after the hosts staged a second-half comeback despite Anthony Gordon‘s red card.
James’ Park, Ngumoha struck to score Liverpool’s winner on his Premier League debut, overtaking Ben Woodburn as the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the process.
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Watching on ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Liverpool on 31 August, Dowman shared Rising Ballers’ post of Ngumoha’s introduction on his own Instagram story, with the caption of; “the best”.
(Credit: @max_dowman10 on Instagram)
Football Insider Verdict
Anticipation for the upcoming battle between last season’s top two Premier League sides is palpable as Arsenal prepare to travel to Anfield, with several new developments in the pipeline ahead of kick-off.
The timely arrival of Eze and Dowman’s emergence as a first-team option will soften the blows felt by Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka‘s injury-enforced absences, giving Arsenal clear strength-in-depth.
Liverpool’s move to Alexander Isak could accelerate now their own trip to Newcastle is out of the way, but after Ngumoha’s record-breaking strike, Arne Slot already has a potentially prolific attacking option at his disposal.
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