Max Dowman makes history as Arsenal grab late win to maintain title charge | OneFootball

Sixteen-year-old Max Dowman became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history as he sealed Arsenal’s last-gasp 2-0 victory over Everton in stoppage time at the Emirates Stadium to take them one step closer to a first Premier League title in 22 years.

The hosts dominated the beginning of the contest, but it was the Toffees who had created the better chances by the halfway point, including a woodwork-rattling attempt by Dwight McNeil.

Everton continued to make things difficult in the second half, but the introduction of Gyokeres and Dowman just after the hour proved a particularly prescient choice by Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.

It was Dowman’s cross which proved critical in Gyokeres finally breaking the deadlock with a minute remaining, then the teenager sent the home support and his boss into a frenzy when he added a stoppage-time cushion.

There was an early chance for Noni Madueke from a short corner, saved by Jordan Pickford, and Riccardo Calafiori volleyed over as the hosts piled on the pressure.

It remained all Arsenal as Martin Zubimendi flicked the ball on for Bukayo Saka, who was also denied when he tried to nod home from close range, calling Pickford into what would have been a big save had the offside flag not been raised.

Everton finally gave David Raya something to do just before the 20-minute mark. Iliman Ndiaye forced the Arsenal goalkeeper into a fingertip save and the ball fell favourably for McNeil.

He likely would have scored were it not for the alert Calafiori, who stuck out a leg for an excellent block.

McNeil soon came even closer, smacking the woodwork from distance from range, though Ndiaye could not bury the rebound, as Moyes’ men began to find their footing.

The hosts wanted a penalty when Kai Havertz was brought down by Michael Keane, but referee Andrew Madley determined there was not enough in the collision, a decision stood up by VAR.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall forced Raya into a diving save, and it remained that Everton had the better chances at the halfway point despite plenty of possession from the hosts.

It was the Toffees who had the first chance after the break when Arsenal could not clear a corner and Beto eventually pounced on a loose ball to call Raya into a low save at his near post.

The Gunners struggled to take advantage of subsequent set-pieces and Pickford stuck out a palm to deny Eberechi Eze just before the hour.

Arteta had been forced into a first-half change, replacing Jurrien Timber with Cristhian Mosquera, but his first tactical substitutions came in the 62nd minute when he replaced Madueke with Gabriel Martinelli and swapped Havertz for Gyokeres.

Eze was the next of Arteta’s men with a near-miss, an effort from the right which whistled just past the left upright.

The Arsenal boss turned Dowman, who came on for Zubimendi in the 74th minute, in a double-swap which also saw Piero Hincapie replace Calafiori, before Eze stung the palms of Pickford once again.

The breakthrough finally came from an Arsenal throw-in. Dowman delivered a cross, bringing out Pickford, who failed to collect. It proved a critical miss when a deflection from Hincapie, which landed at the feet of Gyokeres to apply the straightforward finish.

Dowman then sealed victory in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Pickford had come up the pitch for an Everton corner and could do nothing when Dowman sped away, utterly unable to be caught before firing home his landmark goal and inspiring an impassioned leap out of the relieved Arteta.