Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has sent a strong message to Max Dowman, noting he will get minutes this season but warned they must be earned.
Dowman played an important role in Arsenal’s Premier League win last season, scoring a decisive goal and creating chances for his teammates.
However, the 16-year-old sensation has been an unused substitute on four occasions for Arsenal this season, most recently at Napoli last Wednesday.
Dowman has had to top up his game time with a handful of runouts for the under-21s and featured in a 4-1 loss to Chelsea at the weekend.
Max Dowman is challenged by Harrison McMahon during the Premier League 2 match between Arsenal U21 and Chelsea U21. (Photo by Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round tie at Ipswich, Arteta failed to guarantee Dowman a place in the starting lineup.
”Well, I wish we could have him here [at Sunderland], but we have a limitation with the numbers we have,” Arteta said in his latest remark about the Premier League rule of 20 players in a matchday squad.
”Max will have his chance. He will have his minutes and he will have to earn them like anybody else.
”You know the talent that we have, the players that we have there, we need to help him and find a way to make sure he continues to develop.”
Last season Dowman became the youngest player to start a Premier League fixture when he was given the nod at Crystal Palace and produced a memorable cameo against Everton where he scored his first professional goal in stunning fashion
