Four Arsenal stars left red-faced by Max Dowman as 16-year-old shows them up

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Max Dowman not only etched his name into the history books but also put several team-mates in the shade with his stunning cameo against Everton . At just 16 years and 73 days, Dowman became the Premier League's youngest ever goalscorer as Arsenal extended their advantage at the summit to nine points.

The teenager was only introduced in the 74th minute with the Gunners labouring against David Moyes ' side. During his brief time on the field, Dowman delivered the cross which led to Viktor Gyokeres' 89th-minute breakthrough before displaying remarkable composure deep into stoppage time to wrap up the victory after Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had gone forward for a set-piece.

However, it wasn't just his goal involvements that caught the eye. Across his 23 minutes, he registered 28 touches of the ball.

That was more than four team-mates who featured for considerably longer spells: Kai Havertz (61 minutes), Jurrien Timber (38 minutes), Gyokeres (36 minutes) and Gabriel Martinelli (36 minutes).

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That remarkable statistic highlights the trust his colleagues place in him and indicates he's prepared for more game time. But it was his goal that will remain the defining moment of the match.

After Pickford had gone up, Dowman burst from the edge of the area before evading Everton's remaining defenders and tapping into an empty net.

Mikel Arteta said: "It was a phenomenal moment. We talked before the game to play with that relentless desire to win every action and have the conviction that we are going to find a way to do it.

"The effort, the quality, the commitment of the players was sensational, and then it ended up in a manner that probably none of us expected. It was one of the best moments that we lived together at the Emirates."

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Dowman was four years from being born when James Vaughan, the previous record-holder, struck the final goal in Everton's 4-0 triumph over Crystal Palace at Goodison Park in 2005, when the opening goal was netted by none other than Arteta.

When questioned whether the schoolboy might have earned a case for a starting berth in the league, Arteta responded: "Let's come down to earth today and enjoy the moment, because it was intense and it was worth it and we will see tomorrow."

The Gunners' day improved further when title rival Man City were held to a 1-1 draw at West Ham on Saturday night.

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