Max Dowman sends clear message to Mikel Arteta with another wow moment for Arsenal

Arsenal youngster Max Dowman has impressed yet again for Arsenal, this time in their UEFA Youth League campaign, sending a clear message to Mikel Arteta in the process.

Plenty of youngsters have made their way through the Hale End Academy dreaming of making an impact for Arsenal one day, but few have been as highly rated as Max Dowman. The youngster has burst onto the scene in the past year, starting with his involvement in senior training.

Since then, he's made his Premier League, Carabao Cup, and Champions League debut, smashing records along the way for being the youngest in the club's - and in some cases the competition's - history. It's clear to see why as well, with the youngster simply gliding across the pitch with raw talent that has plenty of potential to grow even further.

There is a sense of patience that also has to come with the following years, with development for young prospects being anything but linear. While it has been a largely upward trajectory so far for Dowman, there will be moments where things get tough, and some patience is needed from all involved.

That may include stints back in the academy playing for the youth teams, which was the case in midweek. Dowman featured in the UEFA Youth League against Bayern Munich, which seemingly ruled him out of featuring in the senior team's Champions League clash with the Bavarian outfit later that night.

While there, the youngster showed he was a level above the rest, putting on a classy display that will be hard for Mikel Arteta to ignore. It all culminated in another outrageous goal, as the forward drifted past several players, twisting and turning in the box, before slotting home another goal.

It's the sort of goal that sends a clear message to the manager that Dowman is simply too good for that level of football, and is ready to play above the under-19s level. The goal was the highlight for the 15-year-old, who had already equalised earlier in the game with a finish after 38 minutes.

In the end, Arsenal's under-19s registered a 4-2 victory over Bayern Munich, their first win in the UEFA Youth League group in five games this season. It stopped an awkward run of defeats across the academy sides, with the under-18s and under-21s going on a barren spell of results without a win.

The under-21s aren't back in action until January, and given the players returning from injury in the senior team, there may be an expectation that Dowman will be playing more for the under-18s in the coming weeks. That's not to say there won't be opportunities to feature under Arteta soon, however.

A busy fixture list over the festive period will see Arsenal fighting across all fronts, with the Premier League, Champions League, and Carabao Cup all beckoning them forward. Seeing as Dowman has proven he is already far too good for the youth level, the opportunities may well be there.

It remains to be seen just how brave the manager will be in his management of the youngster, with the a clear plan in place to develop him in the best way possible.