Dowman makes history as Arsenal strike late, Man City held by West Ham

Max Dowman, 16, propelled Arsenal closer to the title by becoming the Premier League’s youngest ever goalscorer in a dramatic 2-0 win against Everton on Saturday as Manchester City stumbled in a 1-1 draw at West Ham.

Mikel Arteta’s men are edging towards a first league title in 22 years as their advantage over City, who have a game in hand, now stands at nine points.

Arsenal struggled to break down obdurate Everton until the teenage substitute turned the game in the final moments.

Viktor Gyokeres finally found a way through in the 89th minute, with a helping hand from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford who flapped at Dowman’s cross.

The ensuing scenes of delirium on the pitch and in the stands underlined the significance of a fourth successive league win.

There was still time for Dowman to run the length of the pitch and slot into an empty net with Pickford nowhere to be seen after coming up for an Everton corner in stoppage time.

Aged just 16 and 73 days, Dowman is now the youngest scorer in the history of the Premier League and in Arsenal’s history.

“He changed the game every time he got the ball. He made things happen and we looked like more of a threat,” added Arteta.

“To do it at that age, in this context, with the pressure and expectations to win the game, it’s just not normal.”

Arsenal, trophyless since 2020, remain in the hunt for a quadruple.

The leaders rode their luck to beat a depleted Everton, adding to the mounting feeling that they will be one of the least stylistically impressive champions in recent memory if they do take the crown.

But Arteta and company won’t care about that ahead of a huge week.

The Gunners have a Champions League last-16 second leg against Bayer Leverkusen next week, with the tie level at 1-1, before heading to Wembley to face City in the League Cup final.

City’s season is in danger of coming off the rails as West Ham clung on for a point that lifted them out of the relegation zone for the first time in three months.

Pep Guardiola’s men were thrashed 3-0 by Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in midweek and have dropped four points to sides battling relegation in their last two Premier League outings.

Bernardo Silva’s attempted cross floated in at the far post to give City the lead at the London Stadium.

But the advantage lasted less than four minutes before Konstantinos Mavropanos headed in from a corner.

City dominated the second half but failed to find a way through as Erling Haaland’s barren spell in front of goal goes on.

Guardiola said before the game his side had no more room for error in the title race and their chance may have disappeared when Marc Guehi ballooned over a glorious opportunity to win the game in stoppage time.

“Maybe yes, maybe no,” said City midfielder Rodri on whether the title race is over. “We’re not going to drop hands, we’re going to keep fighting.”

A point for West Ham also has huge ramifications at the bottom of the table.

Nottingham Forest drop into the bottom three with Tottenham ahead of the Hammers now only on goal difference.

 

Chelsea rocked

Fifth-placed Chelsea were beaten by Anthony Gordon’s goal at Stamford Bridge to round off a painful week.

Thrashed 5-2 at Paris Saint-Germain in the last-16 first leg, Liam Rosenior’s side were breached in the 18th minute Gordon converted from Joe Willock’s pass.

Chelsea will drop to sixth as long as Liverpool avoid defeat against struggling Tottenham on Sunday, with the top five set to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

A rare win at Stamford Bridge propels Newcastle up to ninth and within six points of the top five.

Brighton beat Sunderland 1-0 to climb into the top half thanks to Yankuba Minteh’s strike, while Burnley held Bournemouth 0-0.