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While the 32-year-old Brazilian is reminding everyone of his quality, his supposed successor is having to apologise for his poor form

Harvey Elliott wasn't the least bit surprised by Alisson Becker's history-making heroics at Parc des Princes last Wednesday night – but he was still blown away by them. "I've got no words, to be honest," the forward told while standing alongside Liverpool's No.1. "This guy, he's just unbelievable, the best in the world. Each and every game he shows it, [he] keeps us in so many games. Without him, I don't know where we'd be."

They certainly wouldn't be going into the second leg of their last-16 tie with a 1-0 lead over Paris Saint-Germain, who peppered the Reds goals with shots for 90 minutes. Alisson made nine saves in a shockingly one-sided first leg and, as a rueful Luis Enrique admitted afterwards, five of them were "amazing".

"Their best player was the goalie," the Spaniard said. "Alisson decided which way this game went." Peter Schmeichel wholeheartedly agreed, as the Manchester United legend said on that Liverpool would have lost 3-0 had it not been for "one of the best goalkeeping performances I've seen in my life."

Given Alisson is only 32 – relatively young for his particular position – it feels a little strange that there is a chance that he could be usurped as Liverpool's first-choice shot-stopper this summer – or even leave the club. After all, the Reds have already put a succession plan in place, with Giorgi Mamardashvili set to belatedly arrive at Anfield this summer from Valencia. However, while the presumption was that the Georgian would immediately take over in between the posts from Alisson, their contrasting form right now could well prompt a rethink…

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  Not a priority, but prudent

  Liverpool's recruitment team are rightly copping an awful lot of flak for allowing key trio Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold to enter the final year of their respective contracts. However, they were praised for moving so quickly to agree a deal with Valencia for Mamardashvili that will see him move to Merseyside at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

  A new goalkeeper didn't feel like it should have been a priority for the Reds at the time – particularly as they arguably have the world's best No.2 in Caoimhin Kelleher – but it was hard to argue with the level of prudence at play.

  If the decision had already been made that Kelleher wasn't quite good enough to be Alisson's heir, then the club was right to line up an alternative sooner rather than later, and Mamardashvili was unquestionably a strong candidate to become Liverpool's next No.1.

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  Injury issues

  At just 24, Mamardashvili had already made a name for himself at Mestalla and was also coming off the back of a string of sensational showings for Georgia at Euro 2024. For an initial £25 million ($32m), he undoubtedly had the makings of a bargain buy – and that's still the case, in fairness.

  Furthermore, while there were few doubts over Alisson's form, his fitness was an increasing cause for concern, with his injury-enforced absences becoming frustratingly frequent. By contrast, Mamardashvili had already racked up an impressive amount of appearances for Valencia. His best years were clearly ahead of him, while Alisson was showing signs of wear and tear.

  Consequently, much was made of the fact that whereas Mamardashvili finished seventh in the voting for last year's Yashin Trophy, Alisson didn't even make the shortlist. Out with the old, in with the new and all that…

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  Dramatic dip in form

  As it stands, though, Mamardashvili doesn't look like an upgrade on Kelleher – let alone Alisson.

  It obviously needs to be acknowledged that Mamardashvili is not playing for a strong side. In La Liga, Valencia are just two places and one point above the relegation zone. Only basement boys Real Valladolid (62) have conceded more goals than Los Che (45) so far this season, which goes a little way towards explaining why Mamardashvili (five) has fewer cleans sheets to his name than Kelleher (eight) in 2024-25 despite playing six more games than the Ireland international.

  However, there is no disguising the fact that the quality of Mamardashvili's performances have dipped dramatically since his move to Liverpool was announced just before the close of the last summer transfer window.

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  'Not in my best moment'

  Goalkeepers lining out for relegation-threatened teams are nearly always much busier than those representing title challengers, meaning they usually have the higher save stats. That's not the case with Mamardashvili, though.

  He's actually averaging fewer saves per game (2.4) than Alisson (2.6), while his save percentage is an incredibly worrying 57.61 percent – that's the third-worst ratio in Europe's 'Big Five' leagues among goalkeepers to have made 20 or more appearances so far this season. To put it further into context, Alisson's tally is 75.58%.

  Mamardashvili has also made three errors leading directly to goals, the most recent of which came on Saturday, with the Tbilisi native gifting Valladolid a 40th-minute equaliser by passing the ball directly to Juanmi Latasa. Valencia still went on to win the game thanks to Umar Sadiq's second-half goal, but Mamardashvili nonetheless felt compelled to issue a public apology afterwards.

  "I know I'm not in my best moment now, but I'm convinced that challenges make us stronger," he wrote on social media. "I'm putting in my best effort to be the best version of me as soon as possible."

Chelsea superstar Sam Kerr has signed a new contract with the Women's Super League champions, despite a bizarre announcement suggesting she'd leave.

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• Blues hinted at Kerr leaving with 'thank you' message
• Later announced her new contract
• Will remain with WSL champions till 2026

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  On Thursday morning, the Blues posted a video on social media in which Kerr appeared to be bidding an emotional goodbye to the London club. However, that video was followed shortly by the confirmation that the Australian forward has signed a new contract.

  Kerr has now committed to a new deal that runs until 2026, with the attacker saying: "It’s really exciting and a very proud moment for me. Having the opportunity to stay at a club like Chelsea means a lot to me. I’m really excited to continue to push and to try to win trophies."

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• WATCH THE CLIP

  The initial video had a rather sombre tone to it as Kerr said: "I didn't know how to have this conversation with you guys, but I think it's just best saying it." Although she did not state she was leaving, it certainly had the feel of a goodbye message.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In what has turned out to be a PR stunt from the five-time straight WSL champions, Kerr, who has been the club's top scorer in three of the last four seasons, will now remain at the club as they look towards building an era post-Emma Hayes' departure to the USWNT.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KERR?

  The Australian spent most of last season out injured after a devastating ACL tear sidelined her from action, she will now look to have a good pre-season and hit the ground running under new boss Sonia Bompastor.

The aggressive Ishan Kishan takes “a lot of pressure off me which is a pretty good thing”, says the Mumbai Indians opener

Vishal Dikshit30-Oct-2020After finishing as the leading scorer for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2019, Quinton de Kock is back at the top of the chart for the team in IPL 2020. But, the opening batsman said, it was tougher than usual for him this year because the six months spent away from the game because of the Covid-19 lockdown in South Africa left him “lost” and “a bit confused” when he resumed batting.After 12 innings, he has 392 runs – with a string of four 40-plus scores in between – and an average of nearly 40, but it started with a few low scores apart from a 20-ball 33 against the Chennai Super Kings in the tournament opener. Thereafter, he managed 1, 14 and 0, scoring those 15 runs at a strike rate of 68.18.”I was hitting the ball well in the nets. [I] just might have made a couple of silly mistakes in my first part of the tournament; nothing that can’t be fixed,” de Kock said at a media briefing on Friday. “Before, it was just a mental thing; I hadn’t batted for a long time, so I was just trying to get over that mark. Once I found some rhythm, that’s when I started to feel a lot better, especially out in the middle. It was just a matter of doing it out there.”When asked if his scratchy form at the start of the tournament was mainly an effect of the gap from March to September, he said, “Yeah, obviously. I think it did, a little bit. To be honest, I was a little bit lost and [it was] hard to build an innings. I didn’t know when to go hard, when not to, I was a bit confused for some reason. I think it was because of the break.”Getting some time to bat a little bit longer in the middle and having a chat to one or two of the coaches helped me out and to figure out, and [I] understand much better now.”After the first four matches, the Mumbai Indians’ campaign moved to Sharjah for the first time, to face the Sunrisers Hyderabad. The stage was set for de Kock: the Sunrisers’ leading bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar was out with an injury, they were at the most batting-friendly venue in the UAE, and Rohit Sharma had opted to bat after winning the toss.De Kock took his time to get his eye in, and also faced only 12 off the 36 balls in the powerplay, for 13 runs. At the other end, the Mumbai Indians lost both Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav in that phase. Once he was dropped near the long-on boundary off part-time spinner Abdul Samad in the seventh over, de Kock tore into Samad and then took on Kane Williamson and Siddarth Kaul to smash 56 off their 24 balls, including four sixes, to finish with a 39-ball 67.Following that, he scored 23, 53, 78*, 53 and 46* – across venues – to help the team register five wins in their next six matches. De Kock said his task has been to give Mumbai the “best start possible”, and if he is still batting when the likes of Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard come out, his plan is to give them strike as much as possible “because they’re the bigger strikers of the ball”.Mumbai’s opening combination changed once Sharma picked up a hamstring injury, and de Kock says he has had good “understanding” with Ishan Kishan, who too has a “flair” for strokes and likes to attack from the beginning. “He really likes to come out and play a lot of his shots and sometimes it can help me if I’m not going (well),” de Kock said of his new partner, “and ends up taking a lot of pressure off me which is a pretty good thing in a partnership.”

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak has sent out a strong message amid speculation Arsenal want to land the Swede this summer.

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• Isak linked with Arsenal summer move
• Swede reveals desire to stay at Newcastle
• Magpies set unreasonable asking price for striker

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Since his €70 million (£59.5m/$76m) move to St. James' Park from Real Sociedad in 2022, Isak has surprised critics with his immense performances for the Magpies in the Premier League. As such, the Swede has attracted a lot of attention, especially from Arsenal. Mikel Arteta's side narrowly missed out on the Premier League title to Manchester City and are thought to be keen to add to their attacking options this summer.

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• WHAT ISAK SAID

  Speaking to Swedish outlet Fotbollskanalen, Isak said: "I’m enjoying myself very, very much in Newcastle. I just had the best season of my career. That should not be underestimated. I love everything really about the club, the fans, the city.

  "I actually have no thoughts of a move or anything like that. I enjoy myself fantastically well and am very happy with my life."

  On reports that Newcastle need to make a big sale: "It is not something I am speculating on. Within the team and the club, there has been no talk or drama around it. I have not received any information from the club that they would need to sell me."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Swede has scored 31 goals and provide four assists in 52 appearances in the Premier League. For almost the entirety of his first season, Eddie Howe rotated the 24-year-old with experienced striker Callum Wilson so as to manage the youngster's load. This season, however, Isak has seen more action as the primary striker for the Magpies and has become a fan favourite at St. James' Park.

• WHAT NEXT FOR ISAK?

  With Sweden failing to make it to the Euros this summer, Isak will time to rest after a very tiring season that saw Newcastle also play in the Champions League. As for Arsenal, reports have suggested that Newcastle have already indicated their asking price would be in the range of £150m-180m ($191.7m-230m) as they are keen to hold of their striker.

England are supposed to arrive in South Africa on November 17 and will spend 10 days in quarantine

Firdose Moonda16-Oct-2020Cricket South Africa (CSA) are waiting on the home affairs ministry to give the England squad permission to enter the country for three ODIs and three T20Is in November-December. South Africa is still in a “state of disaster,” in response to the coronavirus pandemic and is currently at the most lenient stage of lockdown – stage 1 of 5 – which means most activity has been able to resume and borders are open in limited capacity. Anyone who wants to enter the country requires a rubber stamp from home affairs with particular focus on those from high-risk countries, which include the United Kingdom.”We have received the request from Cricket South Africa but it has not been processed yet,” Siya Qoya, a spokesperson from the ministry of home affairs told ESPNcricinfo. “We will communicate with CSA once a decision has been finalised.”Qoya confirmed that decisions “do not take too long” to be made and that some individuals from high-risk countries have been allowed into South Africa. Should approval be given, England will arrive in South Africa on November 17 and will spend 10 days quarantined at a hotel in Cape Town, while being able to train at Newlands. The South African squad will stay in the same hotel – creating a bio-bubble – with matches to be played at Newlands and Boland Park in Paarl, behind closed doors.The series will be the first for the South African men’s national team since they returned home from India in March, when the coronavirus pandemic hit. They have had series in Sri Lanka and West Indies postponed and have been unable to host India for three T20Is, which would have provided CSA with a much-needed financial shot in the arm. For now, the England tour will fill the gap, with CSA estimated to earn R70 million (US$4.2 milllion) from the series. CSA are expected to pay for all accommodation and transport fees for a touring party of about 50 members, the ECB have agreed to carry the costs of a charter flight.If the England series is given the go-ahead, it will take place under the cloud of sports minister Nathi Mthethwa’s intent to intervene in CSA’s affairs unless CSA can provide him with a reason not to by October 27. On Wednesday, Mthethwa issued a statement in which he said he had been left no choice but to act according to the National Sports and Recreation Act on allegations of mismanagement, because CSA had refused to comply with the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s (SASCOC) request for the board and executive to stand down while an investigation is held. Mthethwa has the power to no longer recognise CSA as the governing body for cricket in South Africa. CSA have been in administrative crisis throughout 2020, and are currently operating under an acting CEO, an acting president and postponed their AGM from September to December.Apart from the England tour, no other international fixtures are confirmed for the season. Domestic cricket in South Africa is set to get underway on November 2, but the schedule has been reduced as a cost-cutting measure. The six franchises will only play seven first-class matches (instead of their usual 10) and a single-round T20 tournament (rather than matches home and away), with the Mzansi Super League cancelled for this summer.

“At times, we felt the way Nabi was playing was irritating” – Mohammed Shami

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Southampton22-Jun-2019KL Rahul is on one knee. The bat is turned in his gloves. His reverse sweep is in motion. But the ball he is awaiting is hanging in mid-air. Like a painting in a gallery. When eventually it arrives, Rahul is so off balance, he can only send it floating to short third man, those extra split seconds of flight having drawn the power from his shot. It is not a remarkable ball. There are no eye-catching revs. No drift. Barely an iota of turn.But the bowler, Mohammad Nabi, is not trying to be remarkable. He is not trying to dazzle you. Man is here to hustle.Sixteen overs later, another less-than-special delivery, another swindle. On a sticky pitch on which other batsmen are dragging the weight of their own labours around, Kohli is gliding, transcendental. Nabi has bowled 18 deliveries at Kohli, and never appeared threatening. But looking like getting him out is not the thing; the thing is to get. With his 19th ball, this humdrum bowler floats a slightly wide ball at perhaps the most extraordinary batting being on the planet right now. He invites the cut. A little overspin. A half-bat width of extra bounce. Another catch at third man. A hustle.Watch on Hotstar (India only): Highlights of Nabi’s performanceAlmost no bowler in the world appears to be doing so little, and yet leaves an imprint so indelible. Without Nabi’s outstanding returns through the middle overs – nine overs in which he did not conced a single boundary, and only one two – India’s innings might have entered those higher gears – the kind which, so often, there is no shifting them down from. Beyond the two vital wickets, his economy rate of 3.66 was the best for Afghanistan.Bat in hand, Nabi is almost more nondescript. His cut shot looks like it was mass produced in Japan – a sturdy, working, repeatable thing. His drives are prefabricated, cement and stone. There is a little grace to his pull, but he never admires the shot. His weight has moved forward the moment the ball has left bat, pressing forward in search of another run. When Afghanistan were hounding India down though those tense, late stages, it was always Nabi calling his partner through, turning those ones into twos. It was always Nabi who was hustling hardest. Nabi, who kept coming at India, refusing to go away.”At times, we felt the way Nabi was playing was irritating,” Mohammed Shami, who ended the match with a hat-trick, said. “But we were also conscious of the fact that we did not want to show the opposition that we were irritated. We were very clear that if we get his wicket, then the match is ours. He alone was a batsman who could build his innings and score. You have to remain aggressive in those situations.”Mohammad Nabi goes after Mohammed Shami•Getty ImagesNabi’s four off Shami at the start of the 45th over re-energised a chase that seemed to have acquired a limp. His six over midwicket in the 47th over made death-overs master Jasprit Bumrah seem human, if only briefly, before the bowler started nailing his yorkers again.With 16 needed off the last over, and a specialist wicketkeeper for company, the match seemed beyond Afghanistan, but a mighty four down the ground off Shami raised the final hackles of hope, before they were lowered again, with Nabi’s holing out to long on – the wicket that precipitated the hat-trick.It was no surprise, though, that it was Nabi that very nearly delivered a famous victory, and turned Afghanistan’s campaign around. Rashid Khan is an otherworldly talent. Mujeeb Ur Rahman has his sleight of hand. But when the team is in a destructive spiral, going from loss to embarrassing loss, it took Nabi and his hustle to bring Afghanistan roaring back.

Champions make plans for title defence amid likely England call-ups in seam department

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2024Surrey have shored up their bowling stocks in anticipation of a heavy international workload for their seamers in 2025, by signing Matthew Fisher from Yorkshire.Fisher, 27 next month, has played one Test to date, on England’s tour of the Caribbean in 2022, after which he was awarded an ECB pace bowling development contract. He confirmed his enduring qualities by claiming 18 wickets in three games last month, to help Yorkshire secure promotion to Division One of the Vitality County Championship.To date, Fisher has claimed 144 first-class wickets at 26.58, including a best of 5 for 30 against Derbyshire in 2023. He is also a useful lower-order batter, with a career-best of 88 against Leicestershire.His move comes in the wake of Conor McKerr’s recent departure to Nottinghamshire, and with Surrey having secured their third consecutive County Championship title, despite a glut of England call-ups testing the renowned depth of their squad.In 2025, Surrey can once again expect to be without Gus Atkinson for significant portions of the season, while Sam Curran, Jamie Overton and Reece Topley are likely to be absent on England white-ball duty at key periods of the campaign.What’s more, Surrey’s Australia-born seamer Dan Worrall – arguably the player of the season with 52 wickets at 16.15 – will next year be qualified to play for England, and even at the age of 33, he may come into consideration by the national selectors.”I’ve always looked to strengthen our squad straight after we’ve won the Championship,” Alec Stewart, Surrey’s outgoing director of cricket, said. “So bringing in a player of Matt’s ability and experience made perfect sense. With Conor McKerr leaving the club and the expected England call-ups next summer, it’s important we maintain a quality bowling group.”I actually first met Matt when he was 15, on a visit to his Yorkshire secondary school on behalf of a cricket sponsor and have followed his career from afar ever since. I now look forward to welcoming him to the Kia Oval and watching him perform well for Surrey CCC.”Fisher added: “I’m both excited and honoured to have signed for Surrey. I’ve watched the recent successes of the squad with huge admiration and I hope to contribute to more success in the coming years.”I’m also looking forward to working with some of the best players and coaches in the game.”

Barcelona are reluctant to match Manchester United's asking price for Marcus Rashford but are eager to sign the attacker this summer.

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• Barcelona want to avoid €40m Rashford fee
• United keen to sell England international
• Joined Villa on loan

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rashford's hopes of securing a move to Barcelona this summer have taken a hit as the La Liga champions are not willing to meet United's €40 million (£34m/$44m) asking price, according to . Their report claims the Catalan giants could offer between €5m to €10m for a one-year loan, but they do not want to part with a significant amount of cash for Rashford as they would rather invest in a player like Liverpool's Luis Diaz. Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli is another option.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rashford effectively has no future at United under Ruben Amorim, having left the club to join Aston Villa on loan in January. However, his contract at Old Trafford still has another three years to run and the Red Devils want to extract a transfer fee that befits a player who has scored 17 goals in 62 appearances for England.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  If Rashford were to join Barcelona, he would find himself competing with Raphinha for a spot in Hansi Flick's team. The Brazilian is one of the main candidates for the 2025 Ballon d'Or after leading the Blaugrana to a domestic treble.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD AND BARCELONA?

  Rashford will hope his future is resolved quickly, but Barcelona's financial state may rule them out of the running, especially if they decide to prioritise a permanent arrival like Diaz.

Crystal Palace are now closely following a young forward who has been compared to Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, according to a report.

Palace making summer transfer plans

With 10 games left to play, Palace look set for a mid-table finish in the Premier League, but it could still be an exciting end to the campaign, with Oliver Glasner’s side just one game away from a trip to Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final.

While it would be a monumental achievement to potentially go on and win the FA Cup, Glasner will also be keen for his side to kick on and push for the European places next season, which means some additions could be required in the summer window.

With Will Hughes yet to sign a new contract, signing a midfielder may be necessary, and the Eagles are now eyeing a move to sign 20-year-old Royal Antwerp maestro Mahamadou Doumbia.

Crystal Palace offer £72,500-p/w contract to "outstanding" free signing

Palace are looking to get ahead in the race as they have submitted an offer to sign a player on a free transfer.

By
Brett Worthington

Mar 6, 2025

It appears as though there could be a focus on bringing in talented youngsters this summer, as Glasner’s side have also emerged as shock contenders to sign Wolfsburg defender Konstantinos Koulierakis, who could cost around £42m.

Not only are Palace eyeing young defenders and midfielders, but they have also been closely following 18-year-old FC Nordsjaelland forward Sindre Walle Egeli, according to a report from The Boot Room.

The teenager is attracting a lot of attention from across Europe, having put in some impressive performances in Denmark, with the likes of Newcastle United, Atalanta, Liverpool and Everton also expressing an interest.

The Eagles are one of a number of Premier League clubs to have watched the youngster in action this season, and reports elsewhere have revealed Nordsjaelland could be looking for a fee of at least £21m to sanction his departure.

"Absolute star" Egeli likened to Griezmann

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has bestowed very high praise upon the young Norwegian, describing him as an “absolute star of each age category since the U-15 level”, while also likening him to Atletico Madrid forward Griezmann.

Although the right-winger is still only 18-years-old, he has emerged as a key player for Nordsjaelland, picking up six goals and four assists in the Superliga this season, recently adding to his tally with a well-taken header against Vejle BK.

Palace have done a fantastic job recruiting talented youngsters in recent times, with Adam Wharton establishing himself as a key player for Glasner, and there are plenty of indications the Nordsjaelland star could be in the same category.

Max Dowman's devastating cameo in Arsenal's 3-2 pre-season win over Newcastle has captured the imagination of Gunners fans on social media.

• Excited Gunners compare 15-year-old to all-time greats
• Dowman won the deciding penalty
• Arteta called youngster's performance 'special'

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Dowman entered the game with the scores level on the hour mark. The 15-year-old showed remarkable confidence, routinely picking up the ball and driving at the heart of the Newcastle defence. He drew two smart saves out of Nick Pope, and John Ruddy, before cannily drawing a foul from Joelinton inside his own penalty area. Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard dispatched the ensuing spot kick, earning Arsenal the victory in an exciting game in Singapore.

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• WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  Supporters PatrickTimmons1, perhaps somewhat sarcastically, compared the 15-year-old to the GOAT. Posting on X: "Lionel Messi, I hope you enjoyed your time as the greatest football of all time because Max Dowman is here now.

  Another fan, 2SAFC invoked Messi's name as well as comparing Dowman to Lamine Yamal, writing: "Another win for #Arsenal. 🔴⚪️ Two games, Two wins. ✨Max Dowman, Ill let him do the talking, in my opinion… The next Lionel Messi, all for Lamine Yamal succeeding but this guy is 15, and arguably his level. ⚡️"

  FTProgression added: "Max Dowman…. I am speechless. This is a Messi, Neymar, Yamal level talent."

  And EduardoHagn also joined in with a similar post: "MAX DOWMAN WTF. He’s like Yamal. He’s like Messi. He wins a penalty for Arsenal."

• WHAT ARTETA IS SAYING

  Mikel Arteta was effusive in his praise of the youngster after the final whistle. He called the 15-year-old "special", and heralded the work of Dowman's "family, the people at the club, and around the academy" in getting the player ready for his chance in the first team.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It is telling that Arteta called on Dowman to replace Bukayo Saka, as the Arsenal manager tended towards his more senior players in this fixture. There were starting spots for fellow teenagers Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, but given their heavy involvement in the 2024/25 campaign, their inclusion was a given. Andre Harriman-Annous and Marli Ellis Salmon eventually made their way on to the pitch, but Dowman's 30-minute cameo could be a sign that Arteta intends to include the winger in his first-team plans going forward.