Max Dowman will become the youngest player ever to start for Arsenal after being named in the starting XI for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round tie at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Aged 15 years and 302 days, Dowman comfortably broke Jack Porter’s previous record of 16 years 72 days from the third-round tie at home to Bolton Wanderers in the same competition in September 2024.
Dowman is yet to start in the Premier League for Mikel Arteta’s side but the midfielder, who does not turn 16 until New Year’s Eve, has until mid-November 2026 to surpass Arsenal’s youngest-ever starter in the league — Gerry Ward at 16 years 321 days in 1953.
Dowman will surely surpass the club’s youngest starter in the Premier League era — Cesc Fabregas in 2004, at 17 years 103 days. The Spaniard is also the club’s youngest scorer at 16 years and 212 days — against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the League Cup in December 2003 — and youngest league scorer, at 17 and 113 days. Both records will be in Dowman’s sights.
Eye-catching in pre-season, Dowman has made two Premier League appearances from the bench this term, and was an unused substitute in the Champions League win over Athletic Club last month.
Speaking ahead of Brighton’s visit to north London, Arteta said: “I am calm over it because what we have decided for him for the first few months is happening. When we have to give him games, whether it is in the Youth Cup or with the under-21s or with us, he has that. He has a lot of exposure in training with us, too.
“A lot of new things are happening to him with the national team, playing with two different age groups, and with us, and then preparing games with another team. It is a lot. We have to manage that. He will play minutes with us for sure and when he has the chance to do that he needs to take it.”
Arteta also handed a first start to 17-year-old forward Andre Harriman-Annous, who impressed for the club’s academy last season — scoring 18 goals from 37 appearances, including winners in the FA Youth Cup against Fulham and in the UEFA Youth League against Paris Saint-Germain.
Harriman-Annous, who is eligible to play for either England or Nigeria, has scored twice from six appearances in the Premier League 2 this season.
