Ipswich vs Arsenal ended in a 4-2 victory for the Gunners at Portman Road, with teenage sensation Max Dowman scoring twice as Mikel Arteta’s side maintained their perfect start to the season and progressed to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
The 16-year-old was one of two youngsters handed a starting opportunity by Arteta, alongside 17-year-old centre-back Marli Salmon, and he repaid the manager’s faith with a performance that demonstrated both his attacking ability and his composure in front of goal.
Noni Madueke and Mikel Merino also found the net for Arsenal, while Anis Mehmeti and Chuba Akpom scored late consolation goals for Ipswich in a match that had largely been decided before the home side found their response.
Ipswich vs Arsenal produces another Max Dowman breakthrough
Max Dowman needed only seven minutes to make his mark. The teenager won possession in midfield before combining with Eberechi Eze through a quick one-two. He then drove towards the Ipswich defense, leaving two defenders on the ground with his movement before calmly sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to give Arsenal an early lead.
It was a goal that highlighted several of Max Dowman’s most dangerous qualities at once, including his pace, close control, confidence and ability to attack defenders directly.
Arsenal doubled their advantage nine minutes later when Madueke fired home following Merino’s clever flick over the top.
The visitors went into half-time with a comfortable two-goal lead, but Max Dowman was not finished.
Just two minutes after the restart, he showed another side of his game. Martín Zubimendi found him inside the penalty area, and the youngster controlled the pass before rolling the ball into the far bottom corner with impressive composure.
The second goal was very different from his first, but equally revealing. Instead of relying on a solo run or individual brilliance, Dowman displayed his awareness inside the box and remained calm enough to pick out the right finish.
Max Dowman continues remarkable Arsenal rise
The performance represents another important step in the remarkable development of Max Dowman, who had made only 13 appearances for Arsenal last season but still managed to enter Premier League history.
The teenager became the youngest player ever to score in the Premier League when he found the net against Everton last season, and his progress has continued to attract considerable attention around the club.
Before the game at Portman Road, Arteta had made it clear that Dowman would receive opportunities but would need to earn them like every other player in the squad.
“He will have his minutes and he will have to earn them like anybody else,” Arteta said before the match.
Dowman certainly earned his latest opportunity. His two goals trebled his career scoring tally for Arsenal and made him only the second 16-year-old to score twice in a match for a Premier League side in any competition.
The only other player to achieve the feat was Wayne Rooney, who scored twice for Everton against Wrexham in the League Cup in 2002.
Dowman also played a role in Arsenal’s fourth goal, allowing the ball to run through to Merino, who fired his effort against the inside of the post and into the net.
With his latest performance, the teenager has provided Arteta with another reason to consider giving him more opportunities as the season progresses.
Arsenal maintain perfect start to the season
Merino’s goal put Arsenal 4-0 ahead and effectively ended any realistic hope of an Ipswich comeback.
The home side eventually managed to find a response through Mehmeti, who finished from Jack Clarke’s pass in the 62nd minute.
Akpom then added another goal in the first minute of stoppage time after turning and finishing neatly, but Ipswich had left themselves with far too much to do.
Arsenal had already established complete control of the contest before the two late goals arrived.
Both teams had heavily rotated their starting line-ups for the cup tie, with a combined 19 changes made from their respective Premier League matches at the weekend.
For Arsenal, however, the result continued an extraordinary start to the campaign. Arteta’s team have now won every game they have played this season and will discover their fourth-round opponents when the draw takes place on Wednesday after Manchester United’s meeting with Brighton.
The victory also provided another opportunity for some of Arsenal’s younger players to demonstrate their potential.
Dowman gives Arteta another selection decision
For Arteta, the biggest talking point from the victory will undoubtedly be Dowman’s performance.
The youngster had been an unused substitute in Arsenal’s matches this season before being handed his first start of the campaign at Portman Road. He responded by producing two goals, contributing to another and showing the confidence required to operate against a senior opposition defence.
His first goal demonstrated his ability to create something from very little, while his second showed that he can also find space and finish efficiently inside the penalty area.
The challenge now will be managing his development while providing enough opportunities for him to continue progressing.
For a 16-year-old who has already become the youngest Premier League scorer in history and has now joined Rooney as one of only two 16-year-olds to score twice for a Premier League club in a single competition, the future at Arsenal looks increasingly significant.
The Carabao Cup victory was therefore more than simply another win for an unbeaten Arsenal side. It was another reminder of the talent emerging from Arteta’s squad, with Dowman making a particularly strong claim for more minutes in the months ahead.
