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Max Dowman returned from injury to play 45 minutes for the Arsenal u21s against Ipswich Town on Friday, but the Gunners ultimately lost the match and Marli Salmon was sent off.
Photo via Arsenal Academy on Twitter
83 days after his ankle injury in an u21 friendly match against Manchester United, Arsenal youngster Max Dowman made his return to the pitch in a Premier League 2 fixture against Ipswich Town on Friday night.
Dowman had been in training with Arsenal for a couple of weeks already, but first-team minutes are hard to come by at the moment. If the 16-year-old wants to build up his match sharpness, it’s going to be a lot easier to do with the u21s.
The teenager was named in the starting lineup against Ipswich, playing the first 45 minutes before a seemingly pre-planned substitution.
Photo via Arsenal.com
Though Arsenal went 1-0 down in the early stages, Dowman went the closest to bringing the team level. It was the youngster’s free-kick that almost found Marli Salmon’s head for an equaliser, and he put another effort just wide himself after an individual run.
The young Gunners also had chances following Dowman’s withdrawal, with Ceadach O’Neill and Andre Harriman-Annous going close.
But it ended up being a disappointing end to the match, as Salmon was dismissed for a second yellow card and Ipswich held on for three points.
Photo via Arsenal Academy on Twitter
“Max [Dowman], he’s always been a player that’s been kicked,” u21 boss Max Porter said about the injury.
“It was a very bad tackle unfortunately in the game against Manchester United that led to it, so this is, like you said, it’s a bit of a journey for him, understanding his body, going through a rehab process.
“Hopefully also it gives him that little bit of fire that when you are missing football, how much you want to get back out there and how much you appreciate it, which knowing Max, I’m sure it will.
“I think tonight you saw that he needed minutes, and he’ll only get stronger from here, going through this now will be nothing but hopefully a really good moment for his development even though he’s missed football.
“So yeah, we’re glad to have Max back, hopefully he can push and if he needs minutes with us, great, if not hopefully he can contribute to the first team in a really exciting finish to the season.”
Arsenal u21 lineup vs Ipswich Town
Setford, Dixon, Washington, Clarke, Salmon, Ibrahim, O’Neill, Julienne, Mooney, Dowman, Harriman-Annous
Substitutes
Bailey-Joseph (for Dowman, 46), Stevens (for Ibrahim, 80), Ogunnaike (for Washington, 80), Ferdinand (for Dixon, 89), Porter, Ferdinand
What’s next?
Arsenal take on the other half of the East Anglian derby on Friday, playing away to Norwich City on Friday, March 6th at 19:00 GMT.