Gary Neville got 'emotional' watching Arsenal and had to summon his wife

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Gary Neville has admitted he got "emotional" watching Arsenal when Max Dowman scored his first Premier League goal during Saturday's 2-0 win against Everton .

The Gunners were leading 1-0 thanks to Viktor Gyokeres' 90th minute strike when Dowman slalomed through and tapped the ball into an open net after Jordan Pickford went up for a stoppage-time corner.

Dowman had picked the ball up inside his own half and beat Vitaliy Mykolenko and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall before driving to the edge of the Everton box and stroking home with his left foot.

The goal sparked wild celebrations inside the Emirates Stadium, with players and coaching staff running over to congratulate the teenager, while there were jubilant scenes from the Arsenal fans.

While Dowman's strike sealed a crucial three points for the Gunners in the title race, the 16-year-old also became the youngster goalscorer in Premier League history in the process.

And ex-Manchester United defender Neville claimed he had to call his wife, Emma, across to watch the moment Dowman scored as he got moved watching it at home.

Neville told Sky Sports : "You talk about magical Premier League moments and I actually got emotional just for the young kid. It was special in a number of ways, the celebration, the way in which is that’s how football should be.

"He’s touched all parts of his body to score while gliding with the ball, a beautiful goal. You need to be exceptional to do that, he made it so easy that it looks like anyone can do it. There are very few who can.

"To become the youngest Premier League goalscorer and at a point where Arsenal needed it most, it felt like a defining moment in Arsenal’s modern history. One because they’ve produced a player that did something exceptional on an individual schedule, never done before at that age, secondly they haven’t won a league title for 22 years and that would be the showcased moment, what will be played back when we look at the big moments at the end of the season, that will be shown.

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"Long way to go yet, not done but felt a pivotal moment, it was special. We can sit here and say football doesn’t produce as special moments as it did, [Sergio] Aguero, [Robin] Van Persie’s volley, Steve Bruce’s header, the big massive moments winning the Premier League. It was a difficult game for Arsenal but felt it was a magical moment for Dowman, Arsenal and it stopped me in my tracks.

"I was sat in my kitchen table watching in the chair I always watch matches and it was enough for me to call my wife over because I felt it was a big enough moment. He’s 16, the same age as our daughter, she’s doing her GCSE’s in two months, he’s doing his GCSE’s and it was just a beautiful moment."

The 2-0 win against Everton, coupled with Manchester City dropping points in a 1-1 draw at West Ham , has seen the Gunners move NINE points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Although City do boast a game in hand, Arteta's side have put themselves in a strong position to claim their first top flight title in 22 years.

Next up for Arsenal is a Champions League Round of 16 second leg tie against Bayer Leverkusen, where the Gunners are hoping to book their place in the quarter-final after a 1-1 draw in the first leg. They then face Manchester City at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final before the March international break.

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