Max Dowman became the youngest ever goalscorer in the Premier League as the 16-year-old inspired Arsenal’s late surge to beat Everton 2-0 on Saturday and close in on a first Premier League title for 22 years.
The Gunners struggled to break down a dogged Everton defence for 89 minutes until Dowman’s cross fell to Viktor Gyokeres to open the scoring.
The teenager then ran from deep inside his own half to roll into an empty net after Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford ventured forward for a corner in stoppage time.
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“It was a great moment, especially with the way the goal built up,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told Sky Sports.
“We had 10 or 15 seconds to really enjoy what was about to happen.
“It was magical, all the bench and players together jumping up with the crowd, it was a beautiful day.
“He changed the game every time he got the ball. He made things happen and we looked like more of a threat. To do it at that age, in this context, with the pressure and expectations to win the game, it’s just not normal.”
Gyokeres added: “It’s incredible. You can see how he plays, he plays so calm and without feat every time he gets the ball.
“He takes the right decisions most of the time as well. You can see with the goal, he definitely took the right one. An amazing player and a great goal for him.
“We’re behind him as we’re behind everyone one of us. That’s why we play good.”
Victory opens up a nine-point lead for Arsenal at the top of the table ahead of Manchester City, who could only manage a draw against West Ham on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta’s men remain on course for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies, but again lacked for a creative spark until Dowman’s introduction as a late substitute.
For the first time this season Kai Havertz started a Premier League game up front as Arteta dropped top-scorer Gyokeres to the bench.
Havertz could not believe he was not awarded a penalty midway through the first half when the German international appeared to be clipped by Michael Keane as he burst clear on goal.
Everton were without first-choice centre-backs James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite, but kept the hosts at arm’s length and provided a punch going forward.
Dwight McNeil curled a fine effort off the post early on and only a fine save by David Raya denied Beto early in the second period.
Despite their advantage at the top of the table, the tension around the Emirates Stadium spilled from the stands onto the pitch in the second half.
The home side were largely restricted to pot shots from range as Pickford parried Eberechi Eze’s powerful drive.
Arteta turned to Dowman for inspiration and he duly delivered with some help from Pickford.
The England goalkeeper got caught under the winger’s cross and the ball rebounded kindly off Piero Hincapie into the path of Gyokeres, who could not miss.
Arteta sprinted down the touchline in jubilation and there was an even greater outpouring of joy deep into stoppage time.
Dowman coolly sidestepped Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall inside his own half before sprinting clear on goal unchallenged to make Premier League history.
At 16 and 73 days he breaks James Vaughan’s record as the youngest scorer in the competition’s history.
“Job done from our side,” Arteta added.
“The performance on every level was very good. We are playing every three days and the players deserve a lot of credit.
“We want to create memories and moments and I’m sure for many years, people that were in the stadium today will say, ‘I was at the Emirates when that kid at 16 scored that goal in such an important moment of the season.’”
Man City held in blow to title bidElsewhere, Manchester City’s Premier League title challenge was dealt a big blow by a 1-1 draw at lowly West Ham which left them trailing nine points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola’s side took the lead through Bernardo Silva’s first-half goal, but Konstantinos Mavropanos hauled West Ham level before the interval at the London Stadium.
City have a game in hand on Arsenal, but they look destined to miss out in a title race that could turn into a procession long before the finish line.
Draws in their last two league matches against relegation-threatened West Ham and Nottingham Forest have exposed the flaws in a City team expensively rebuilt by Guardiola with limited success over the last 18 months.
They will have to improve significantly to have any hope of a miraculous recovery from 3-0 down against Real Madrid in the Champions League last-16 second leg on Tuesday.
Guardiola’s men then head to Wembley to face Arsenal in the League Cup final before meeting Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
As if that wasn’t problematic enough for spluttering City, their next two league games after the three cup matches are against Chelsea and Arsenal.
By the end of that five-game gauntlet, City could be facing up to the painful prospect of a second successive season without major silverware.
City made 21 shots, while West Ham made one.
West Ham are out of the relegation zone for the first time in 100 days – one point ahead of Forest, who play their game in hand against Fulham on Sunday.
“When you play Man City, you need to be perfect without the ball,” West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen told TNT Sports.
“And I thought we defended, you know, really, really well. The Mads was brilliant in goal, the back, back four, back five, everyone.
“And it’s a really vital point for us.”
Ruthlessly exposed by Real in midweek, the defensive weaknesses that have plagued City this season are combining with Erling Haaland’s barren spell to leave the title challengers bereft at both ends of the pitch.
Haaland has only scored three times in his last 12 league games and the Norway striker was largely anonymous once again.
Guardiola moaned that he had been “massacred” by critics for his team selection against Real.
Once again, his tactics were worthy of debate as City monopolised possession for long periods, but did little to threaten West Ham despite starting with Haaland and Omar Marmoush up front.
When City finally pieced together a threatening raid, they immediately carved open the West Ham defence to take the lead in the 31st minute.
Silva made a dangerous run down the left edge of the West Ham penalty area, but he got a huge stroke of luck as his miscued cross towards Haaland caught goalkeeper Mads Hermansen by surprise as it looped in at the far post.
Silva’s sheepish expression told its own story but the Portugal midfielder wasn’t about to complain after scoring for just the second time in the league this season.
Yet City’s lead lasted just four minutes as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s blunder gifted West Ham their equaliser.
The City ‘keeper should have claimed Jarrod Bowen’s corner but he completely misjudged the delivery and was punished by Mavropanos, who headed home from close range via the underside of the crossbar.
Antoine Semenyo wasted a golden opportunity to restore City’s lead before halftime, shooting wide after Haaland pounced on Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s mistake.
Watching from the stands as he served a touchline ban, Guardiola was in contact with assistant Pep Lijnders by phone, the pair introducing Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku in a desperate bid to turn the tide.
Cherki immediately sent Haaland through for a low strike that Hermansen pushed around the post.
Haaland made a hash of finishing Doku’s pass with a scuffed effort and Cherki’s free-kick clipped the bar.
But City looked increasingly impotent before Marc Guehi blazed over in stoppage-time as their title dreams started to fade.
Asked about the title race, Man City boss Guardiola told TNT Sports: “It’s not over. Because we didn’t lose.”
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