Max Dowman shines as Arsenal cruise past Ipswich in Carabao Cup - 5 talking points

Max Dowman netted a brace as Arsenal sailed into the Carabao Cup fourth round with a commanding 4-2 win against Ipswich Town.

The Gunners’ prodigy delivered two stylish finishes either side of Noni Madueke‘s effort before Mikel Merino added the final flourish, ahead of a pair of late consolation strikes from the home side. Arsenal have now won seven consecutive matches across all competitions, marking their strongest campaign opening under Mikel Arteta.

Both managers revealed their priorities through their lineup choices, with Gary O’Neil making 10 alterations to the team that impressively defeated Crystal Palace 3-2 on the road Saturday. Arteta, meanwhile, made nine switches following their hard-earned 2-0 victory at Sunderland over the weekend.

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Here are five talking points from Portman Road, via The Mirror.

On an evening when one of Arsenal’s competitors faced potentially losing their teenage star, Max Dowman demonstrated why his future with the Gunners looks promising. His opening goal radiated self-assurance, collecting the ball from Viktor Gyökeres’ toe and drifting into open territory.

Dowman left Cédric Kipré grasping at air with an elegant shift of his feet before hammering the ball into the Ipswich goal. His second strike arrived just two minutes into the second half and showcased a more refined touch.

The 16-year-old calmly finished after excellent build-up play from Martín Zubimendi to seal the victory. Before kickoff, Arteta cautioned Dowman that first-team opportunities must be earned, and he responded with a man-of-the-match display that elevated his reputation.

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To listen to the latest episode of ‘All Out Soccer’ – Max Dowman shines as Arsenal cruise

Noni Madueke has seen limited action since starting the Community Shield encounter against Manchester City last month. The winger managed just 40 minutes across Arsenal’s subsequent five fixtures, with Bukayo Saka clearly established as the preferred option.

Though his goal contained an element of luck, Madueke seized the opportunity to extend the Gunners’ advantage in the 16th minute with a decisive strike past Christian Walton following a defensive error. Considering his sparse playing time, the former Chelsea player isn’t guaranteed a spot in England’s squad announcement on Friday, but that finish will undoubtedly strengthen his chances.

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Following Thomas Partey and Declan Rice, Martín Zubimendi has become Arsenal’s latest midfielder converted to right-back. The Spanish international was positioned in a reconfigured back four after struggling for playing time in his natural role thus far this season.

With an assist to his name for Dowman’s second, the experiment appeared to be paying off. However, Jack Clarke‘s introduction created headaches for Zubimendi, as he breezed past him to tee up Anis Mehmeti for a consolation strike.

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4. Gyökeres continues goal drought

When Arsenal splashed £64 million ($86 million) on Viktor Gyökeres just over a year ago, matches like these were expected to be ones he’d sit out. Instead, the striker finds himself playing second fiddle to Kai Havertz and scrapping for limited opportunities.

Gyökeres managed just a single shot against a leaky Ipswich defense, so it’s little surprise he remains without a goal this season. Unlikely to feature from the start against former club Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, he’ll be banking on the international break to rediscover his scoring touch.

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Having progressed beyond the third round just once in the past 15 seasons, the Carabao Cup rarely brings much cheer for Ipswich faithful. Their hopes of another deep run, reminiscent of their semi-final exit to Arsenal back in 2011, were dashed following this emphatic defeat.

Survival remains the overwhelming priority for O’Neil’s side, naturally, but a cup run could have provided a spark for a more memorable campaign than their previous top-flight stint. Until the FA Cup gets underway in January, all focus turns to the Premier League.

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