‘Nobody wants to be dribbled past by a 15 or 16-year-old’ – Arteta on the challenge facing Max Dowman

Mikel Arteta expressed confidence that Arsenal's young prodigy, Max Dowman, can handle the physical challenges that come his way, having been exposed to such situations since he was just eight years old. The 16-year-old faced a straight red card for reacting to a strong challenge during Arsenal's Carabao Cup match against Fleetwood Town, which Arteta believes was unjustified due to the nature of Dowman's response to a dangerous tackle.

The manager criticized the decision not to overturn the card, insisting that the young player has all the necessary skills to cope with similar situations in the future. Arteta emphasized that those with talent like Dowman have been dealing with such challenges since a young age and that it is an innate part of their development, both on the field and in training.

He noted that opponents constantly try to prevent such players from advancing, highlighting the importance of handling the power of the physicality and the tricks that come with it. However, he emphasized that Max Dowman has grown accustomed to this reality, both in matches and during his training sessions.