Mikel Arteta issues warning to Arsenal starlet Max Dowman after gameday decision

Mikel Arteta has cautioned Max Dowman that he must prove himself worthy of playing time just like any other squad member, following the Arsenal youngster's exclusion from the most recent matchday roster.

The 16-year-old Dowman, who etched his name in history as the Premier League's youngest ever scorer when he found the net against Everton last season, ranks among the club's most promising talents but has yet to feature this campaign.

Following his inclusion on the substitutes' bench for their first four fixtures, he was omitted for the victory at Sunderland and subsequently moved down to the Under-21 squad, where he couldn't stop the Gunners from falling to Chelsea , as per The Mirror .

Arsenal have kept strengthening their forward options with Christos Tzolis arriving during the summer transfer window. His presence has intensified the battle for spots in attack, with Dowman paying the price by missing out on first-team matchday selection, as Arteta reminded the emerging talent that opportunities will arise - but only when he proves that he deserves them.

He said: "Well, I wish we could have him here [at Sunderland], but we have a limitation with the numbers we have. Max will have his chance. He will have his minutes and he will have to earn them like anybody else. 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."

Arteta has been outspoken about his desire to see additional spots made available on the bench. Currently capped at 20, the Arsenal manager has openly called on the Premier League to raise that number — a move likely to face pushback, given it would predominantly benefit clubs with stronger, deeper rosters.

Arsenal's next fixture is a Carabao Cup tie at Ipswich Town, their fourth game in nine days, and squad rotation is anticipated at Portman Road with a number of younger players set to feature.

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Arteta outlined his approach: "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."

The sheer depth of Arsenal's attacking options has already prompted Ethan Nwaneri — their youngest-ever player and once regarded as a rising star — to head out on loan for the second straight season. Having spent last term at Marseille, the youngster joined Borussia Dortmund this summer with first-team opportunities remaining hard to come by.