Arsenal 15yo shines in pre-season win over Newcastle United | OneFootball

Max Dowman caught the eye once again as Arsenal came out 3-2 winners in their friendly match against Newcastle United on Sunday.

Photo via Dowman on Instagram

Following a behind-closed-doors win over Watford last weekend and a 1-0 victory over AC Milan on Wednesday, Arsenal took on their first Premier League opponents of pre-season in Newcastle United on Sunday.

The Gunners didn’t have the best record against Newcastle in 2024/25, so they may have felt they were in for another tough afternoon when Anthony Elanga gave his side the lead with a scuffed early finish.

But Arsenal drew level with a confident finish by Mikel Merino, set up by a clever backheel by Kai Havertz. Within minutes it was 2-1, with Alex Murphy accidentally converting another Havertz assist for an own goal.

Photo via Arsenal on Twitter

Arsenal only made one half-time change, though Riccardo Calafiori was quickly withdrawn with an apparent injury. Jacob Murphy then brought Newcastle level again with a shot from distance.

The Gunners made a few more changes around the hour mark, including bringing on 15-year-old Max Dowman. That might have seemed like an indication that the game would be winding down, but Dowman made sure Arsenal eventually found a winning goal.

The teenager was immediately involved in a confrontation with Joelinton, winning a free-kick as the midfielder caught him in the face with a stray hand.

Photo via PLYouth on Twitter

Dowman then had a couple of other opportunities in the following minutes, beating players with a couple of driving runs and forcing saves out of the Newcastle goalkeeper.

Another strong run ultimately led to a penalty, as Dowman beat his man out wide before being brought down by Joelinton (again) for a penalty. Martin Odegaard was on hand to convert.

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It was an impressive display from the youngster, and one that will surely ensure he continues to get chances as we head into the second half of Arsenal’s pre-season schedule.

Arsenal pre-season schedule