LONDON—Max Dowman scored twice as Arsenal came from behind to win 4-2 against Ipswich Town in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, but manager Mikel Arteta said the 16-year-old’s development must be carefully managed.

Dowman, making his first start of the season, netted in the seventh and 47th minutes at Portman Road. Arsenal went into the fourth round as Noni Madueke and Mikel Merino both scored. Anis Mehmeti and Chuba Akpom struck back for Ipswich.

Dowman got the first goal after taking the ball on and beating a defender before finishing past the goalkeeper. His second followed soon after the break when he found the bottom corner.

Arsenal coach Arteta lauded the teenager’s talent but said the club must not place undue pressure on him.

“He is 16 years old, and we have to be cautious,” Arteta said. “We don’t want to stop him, we don’t want to put the brakes on him, and we need to develop him.”

Dowman, meanwhile, will continue to get opportunities, with Arteta adding, "If the right circumstances are there for his development, then yes.

“You ask so much of them, and to be able to do that is extremely difficult, and he is managing better and better,” Arteta said.

Dowman, for all his years, has already established himself in Arsenal’s first team. Last season he made 13 appearances in all competitions, scoring once against Everton during the title run-in.

He also became the youngest player to play in the Champions League when he came on against Slavia Prague in November 2025, aged 15 years and 308 days. UEFA confirmed he had surpassed the previous record held by Borussia Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko.

Dowman then went on to add more age-related records in English football by becoming Arsenal's youngest starter and the Premier League's youngest starter and goalscorer, the original BBC report said.

There has been plenty said about his development, but Arteta has stressed the need to manage expectations around a player who has only just turned 16.

Former England midfielder Jamie Redknapp also called for patience, saying Dowman needs time and playing opportunities to develop.

A first-team spot won't be automatic.

Dowman’s show at Ipswich gives Arteta an option, but it does not guarantee him a regular spot in the Premier League side.

Arsenal had won their first seven matches of the season in four competitions before Tuesday's cup game. In those matches, Dowman was an unused substitute four times and was left out of two other squads.

So the Ipswich match was his first competitive run-out of the new season.

His path to regular league football will probably depend on his performances, squad rotation, and the club’s view of his physical and tactical development, given the established attacking options at Arsenal had limited opportunities for him.

Midfielder Mikel Merino also praised Dowman after the game but said the teenager still has a lot to learn.

“He is only 16 years old, so he needs a lot of coaching, especially tactically,” Merino said.

Dowman's arrival has also prompted a wider debate about his prospects of playing for England. His development has led some pundits to suggest he could be in the mix for major international tournaments in the future—but that’s more a case of what might be than what’s on the table now.

For Arsenal, the immediate priority is simpler: keep giving Dowman a chance and don't put too much pressure on a player at the start of his senior career.

There was no hiding that attitude in Arteta's words after the Ipswich win.

“We really need to make sure every time we put him in, he’s in the right context with the right preparation,” he said.