Mikel Arteta pointed to the unique physical demands of the Premier League in an attempt to downplay hopes of Arsenal’s 16-year-old sensation Max Dowman replicating the prodigious feats of European stars, such as Lamine Yamal.
Dowman didn’t help his manager’s case by cranking up the hype machine with a superb two-goal display in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup thumping of Ipswich Town. The dextrous dribbler was so at ease weaving his way past Premier League opposition across a full 90-minute display that expectations of an increased role in top-flight competition rapidly swelled. Yamal, for instance, was also 16 when he enjoyed his breakout season for Barcelona, racking up 50 appearances before earning a starting role for Spain.
