Max Dowman shone in a 5-star display for the Arsenal u21s, playing the full 90 minutes in their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Dowman was a key creative force for the Gunners, creating early chances for Archie Stevens and Evan Mooney. His influence continued to be crucial in the second half, helping to set up Andre Harriman-Annous' equalising goal.
The Arsenal u21s received a boost ahead of their opening Premier League 2 game of the season against Crystal Palace on Saturday, with the news that Max Dowman would be starting for the side. Dowman had been in the first-team squad for the win over Coventry City the previous day, but having not featured in the match, he was available to represent the u21s.
Dowman created an early chance for Archie Stevens, which the ex-Rangers winger flashed narrowly wide. He then created further openings for Evan Mooney and Ife Ibrahim as the first half progressed, proving Arsenal's primary creative threat.
But it was Palace who took the lead shortly after the half-time break, with Zavier Gozo converting in the 50th minute for 1-0. Thankfully, Dowman's influence continued to be pivotal, and after an expert touch to bring a long ball down, he slid a through ball into Andre Harriman-Annous' path for the Arsenal striker to chip home an equalising goal 14 minutes later.
Arsenal continued to push for a winning goal, and Dowman had one of the best remaining chances with a powerful effort from distance that was tipped over the crossbar. But the Gunners ultimately had to settle for a draw.
Dowman will be pleased to have 90 minutes of match action under his belt, and he'll hope to keep pushing for first-team minutes in the coming weeks. The 90 minutes of action will be a welcome boost to Dowman's development as he continues to work his way up the Arsenal ranks.
The Arsenal u21s' draw against Crystal Palace was a solid start to their Premier League 2 campaign. With Dowman shining in a 5-star display, the Gunners will be hoping to build on this momentum in their upcoming matches.
Source: Yahoo Sports