Sixteen and decisive: Dowman lights the way as Arsenal tighten title grip

FOR many of us, at 16, we were still trying to figure out what we wanted to do with our lives. We were probably worried about SPM and our study path afterwards.

For Max Dowman, however, at 16 years and 73 days, he became the youngest scorer in Premier League history.

Arsenal have now tightened their grip on the title with a 2–0 victory over Everton at the Emirates.

There seems to be something special about Arsenal and Everton when it comes to record-breaking young scorers. 24 years ago, Wayne Rooney announced himself to the world with a stunning winner against Arsenal at Goodison Park.

Now, Dowman has taken that mantle away from Rooney. Arsenal fans will hope that Dowman can emulate, or even surpass, the remarkable career Rooney went on to have.

While Dowman is stealing the headlines, it should not distract from Arsenal placing one hand on the Premier League trophy. With Manchester City drawing against West Ham at the London Stadium, the gap between the two teams has now widened to nine points, although Arsenal have played one game more.

With the number of games remaining, Arsenal supporters will surely feel confident that their team will not let the title slip away this season.

Perhaps the team showing signs of cracking are City.

What once looked like a potential quadruple-winning season has turned into a difficult week for Pep Guardiola’s side.

First came a humiliating Champions League defeat to Real Madrid in midweek, followed by a frustrating draw against relegation-threatened West Ham. Despite taking the lead, City allowed West Ham to fight back and equalise.

Erling Haaland once again failed to score, and his goals have begun to dry up. Perhaps he is not as effective without Kevin De Bruyne supplying him.

The playmakers brought in to replace De Bruyne may not yet be working in Guardiola’s system. It raises the question of whether City will need another busy summer in the transfer market to strengthen the squad.

Credit must also be given to West Ham.

Under Nuno Espírito Santo, the team have developed a fighting spirit as they battle to stay in the Premier League.

It is the kind of resilience that Tottenham Hotspur have struggled to show this season. Spurs supporters should be concerned because both West Ham and Nottingham Forest are demonstrating the mentality required for a relegation battle.

However, Sunday night produced an unexpected twist. Arne Slot’s Liverpool handed Tottenham a result that reignited hope for Igor Tudor’s side in the relegation fight.

Liverpool somehow made Tudor look like a competent manager, as their shortcomings were exposed over the 90 minutes. Tudor finally found a formation that worked by deploying two strikers, and Slot had no clear answer.

Even though Liverpool took the lead through a spectacular free kick from Dominik Szoboszlai, they failed to build on their advantage and allowed Spurs to equalise late in the match. Once again, questionable game management from Slot proved costly. Perhaps his attention was already shifting to the return leg against Galatasaray, but performances like this are causing supporters to question how long he can hold on to his job.

His decision to continue deploying a midfielder at right back also contributed to Tottenham’s equaliser, as Szoboszlai failed to track back and neutralise the threat from Richarlison.

Liverpool’s slip, combined with Manchester United’s resurgence, could not have come at a better time for Red Devils supporters. United strengthened their hold on third place with a convincing 3–1 victory over Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

Michael Carrick’s men bounced back well from their defeat to Newcastle earlier in the week. With direct rivals such as Liverpool and Chelsea dropping points, Champions League qualification is now firmly within reach. Bruno Fernandes delivered another outstanding performance, contributing two assists. With eight games remaining, the all-time assist record could come under serious threat if he maintains this level.

While United are not yet the finished product, they clearly have an identifiable style of play. The advantage of playing once a week also helps the squad stay fresh compared to their opponents.

For Aston Villa, the story is quite different. Another Premier League defeat suggests that what once looked like a genuine title challenge months ago is now fading away. Injuries are mounting, and Unai Emery struggled to rediscover the fluid football that carried Villa through the middle part of the season.

Fortunately for Villa, their recent slump has not been fully punished by the teams chasing them. Both Liverpool and Chelsea also suffered defeats this weekend.

Chelsea, in particular, are enduring a difficult period. Newcastle got the better of them at Stamford Bridge, and the heavy defeat to Paris St Germain earlier in the week may still be weighing on the players’ minds. Newcastle took full advantage. Liam Rosenior must find a response quickly if Chelsea are to secure European football next season.

With fewer than 10 games remaining, there is still plenty to play for across the league. This weekend could eventually be remembered as a defining moment in the season.

Imagine a title race ultimately decided by a 16-year-old.

Perhaps the old football cliché still holds true.

If you are good enough, you are old enough.