History-maker Max Dowman 'will be synonymous with greatness for many years,' says Joe Cole after teenager seals vital Arsenal win against Everton

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Max Dowman sealed Arsenal's vital 2-0 win over Everton at the Emirates with a last-gasp breakaway goal, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history at the age of 16 years and 73 days. Joe Cole believes the starlet will become "synonymous with greatness" at Arsenal for many years to come. His manager, Mikel Arteta, said he had a "gut feeling" to bring on Dowman in the latter stages.

'He's an incredible footballer' - Cole and Lescott celebrate Dowman after youngest scorer feat

Video credit: TNT Sports

Record-breaking Max Dowman "will be synonymous with greatness for many years", Joe Cole said after the Arsenal youngster sealed a dramatic late win over Everton.

The teenage forward became the Premier League's youngest-ever goalscorer at the age of 16 years and 73 days on Saturday evening, scoring Arsenal's second goal in a crucial 2-0 victory at the Emirates.

Dowman, who is yet to take his GCSEs, dribbled the ball half the length of the pitch with Jordan Pickford in The Toffees' attacking half for a last-gasp corner, slotting home to spark jubilant scenes in the red side of North London.

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And in East London, before Manchester City dropped points against West Ham United - live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - Cole was effusive in his praise for the "incredible" wonderkid.

"What a night for him," said Cole. "He's an incredible footballer. Every time I watch him play, he does something that gets you off your seat.

"That's an amazing feeling to be the youngest Premier League goalscorer. I'm sure it's a name that will be synonymous with Arsenal Football Club and greatness for many, many years."

Joleon Lescott added that Dowman is "living up to the hype" already, with many more big moments sure to come in his professional career.

"That won't be his biggest achievement. The quality that he's shown... Definitely just the start and, as Joe said, someone that, at 16, shouldn't be able to compete with men," said Lescott.

"He shouldn't be able to, but he is and obviously living up to the hype around him."

It was only the winger's third Premier League appearance of the season, having not featured since playing one minute in Arsenal's 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in late August.

Having recovered from an ankle injury that kept him out for more than two months, Dowman almost immediately repaid the trust shown by his manager Mikel Arteta, who brought him on 15 minutes before Viktor Gyokeres' 89th-minute opener.

"I had a gut feeling," said Arteta on Dowman's substitution. "He was training the last few days.

"It was a moment for him, probably because he doesn’t seem to be phased by the occasion, the opponent or the game.

"I think the decision that you make has to be delivered. You have to see him train every single day, he does it against these defenders who are in my opinion the best in the world.

"It felt like 45 seconds as Max ran through. It was building up and building up. You see there’s no goalie. It’s going to happen, it going to happen. It was incredible. What a moment."

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