Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has responded to questions over Max Dowman's limited playing time this season, stressing that the young forward will not be given opportunities without working for them.
Dowman burst onto the scene last season, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in the Champions League before further cementing his status as a rising star with a stunning solo goal against Everton in March, which made him the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history. The achievements sparked excitement over the 16-year-old's long-term potential at the club.
This campaign, however, has been far quieter for the teenager. Dowman has yet to make an appearance in any competition, with his involvement restricted to being named as an unused substitute on four separate occasions. He was not included in the matchday squad at all for Arsenal's recent league fixture against Sunderland, a game the Gunners won to maintain their perfect start to the season.
Arteta explained that squad depth and numerical restrictions played a part in Dowman missing out on a place in the squad for that particular match. "Well, I wish we could have him [at Sunderland], but we have a limitation with the numbers we have," Arteta said. Despite this, the Spanish coach was quick to reassure that Dowman remains firmly in his plans for the future.
"Max will have his chance. He will have his minutes and he will have to earn them like anybody else," Arteta added, making clear that no shortcuts will be offered to the teenager regardless of his early breakthrough. The manager acknowledged the competitive nature of the current squad as a key factor behind Dowman's lack of minutes so far. "You know the talent that we have, the players that we have there, we need to help him and find a way to make sure he continues to develop," he said.
Arsenal have started the season in outstanding form, winning all five of their matches across competitions so far. That run of results has allowed Arteta the luxury of rotating sparingly, though it has also meant fewer chances for fringe players and academy prospects such as Dowman to break into the first-team picture.
With the domestic season underway and results going Arsenal's way, attention is now turning toward the Carabao Cup, a competition in which the club fell agonisingly short last term. Arsenal reached the final only to lose to Manchester City, and Arteta believes his squad is determined to go a step further this time around.
"It's the next game ahead and the next competition," Arteta said, outlining his focus on the upcoming fixture. He expressed confidence that his players remain hungry and driven following the win over Sunderland, adding that the group is eager to build on their positive start to the campaign.
"We will look at the players' eyes, they will say they want to play, they want to win the game, they want to improve and they want to review the [Sunderland] game and they will be willing for me, because I know the boys," Arteta said, underlining his trust in the squad's mentality as Arsenal push forward on multiple fronts this season.
For Dowman, the challenge now is to continue developing behind the scenes and be ready when his manager eventually calls upon him, with Arteta making clear that any opportunity given to the teenager will need to be fully justified on the training ground first.
Based on reporting from standard-football.