Arsenal: Max Dowman told to follow Bukayo Saka example as Mikel Arteta reveals plan for teenage prodigy | OneFootball

Dowman could make history if chosen to start Arsenal’s Carabao Cup third round tie against Port Vale

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has told Max Dowman to learn from Bukayo Saka about how to deal with being targeted by opposition defenders.

Arteta has revealed he is open to starting Dowman for the first time on Wednesday night, when the Gunners travel to Port Vale in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

Dowman has long been tipped for the top and he has routinely played in higher age groups, making his debut for England’s Under-19s earlier this month.

The attacking midfielder was targeted by Spain’s left-back in that game and has been in the past when playing for Arsenal’s youth sides.

Arteta has warned Dowman such treatment will come with his talent - and has urged him to learn from Saka about how to deal with it.

“For England [Under-19s] against Spain and, in the first 40 minutes, it was nine fouls,” said Arteta.

“It’s going to happen, he’s going to have to learn as well when to release the ball, when to attract his starting position. Very similar to Bukayo in the beginning as well.

“Those players are going to attract players, contact, attention and they have to be very smart when you want that contact and when you don’t want it, and what you have to do to avoid it.

“He’s super smart, his football IQ, the way he makes decisions, the way he moves, he does it naturally.”

Fouled: Max Dowman

The FA via Getty Images

Arteta is comfortable starting Dowman away at League One side Port Vale, despite the prospect of it being a physical game, because of Dowman’s emotional intelligence.

The Arsenal boss has praised the way that the teenager has responded to being targeted by defenders in the past.

“He just gets up,” said Arteta. “[That is] very rare! Sometimes I get surprised emotionally how cool he can be.

“I think it’s about repetition. He’s so used to it, that now he knows that let the referee deal with it and my team-mates probably to defend me, and I will carry on playing.”

Arteta has joked how even in training Dowman has not reacted when his team-mates have got him back for nutmegging them.

“At the beginning, they responded immediately - kick him,” joked Arteta. “That was the first one, and Max, to be fair, he was excellent, stood up, and got to the next one.

“You can really take it personally, of someone who was 14 last year, at some point when he was doing certain things to players, and now everybody loves him.

“You just want to hug him, help him. He's such a nice boy as well and he’s very much liked by everybody here.

I think it’s about repetition. He’s so used to it, that now he knows that let the referee deal with it and my team-mates probably to defend me, and I will carry on playing

Mikel Arteta

“It brings responsibility to look after somebody with that talent and make sure we just do what we have to do to make sure we're given the best chance to exploit his talent, that’s all.

“We need to be cautious and that’s what we are trying to do in the best possible way to find that balance to keep Max as connected as possible with the first team because he’s undoubtedly a player that can help the first team.

“But that’s why we need the right mixture of minutes like he did the other day with the under-21s and with England, to have that exposure when he needs to play with us, he’s ready to do that.”