Arsenal have struggled in the league recently, but the return of a forgotten man has given their title hopes a timely boost.
Mikel Arteta will be excited about the return of his key man (Image: Arsenal FC, Getty Images)
Arsenal have been given a welcome boost in their quest to win the Premier League after teenage prodigy Max Dorman returned to training following an injury layoff. The Gunners’ hopes of staying top of the table ended with a disappointing 2-2 draw away to bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday.
As a result, the home side’s dramatic stoppage time equalizer extended Arsenal’s winless record in the league to two games, meaning they have dropped points in five of their last seven games.
To make matters worse, Manchester City also have the opportunity to close the gap at the top of the table to just two points when they play Newcastle United on Saturday night.
Dauman, 16, has been sidelined since November due to ankle problems. Although he is not yet a regular part of manager Mikel Arteta’s plans, his return to the training ground has been enthusiastically welcomed by fans hungry for reassuring updates at a crucial time in the campaign.
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The club uploaded a clip of a recent senior training session to its official YouTube account on Wednesday, and supporters were quick to react as they noticed the highly-rated youngster taking an active role in training. “Max is back!!” one person wrote.
“I’m really happy to have Dauman back. We really need him,” added another player. A third post read: “Max Dauman, let’s go,” while a fourth read: “My baby Doman is doing well. Get him back on the team as soon as possible.”
Dowman has not been included in Arsenal’s matchday squad since the North London derby in November. The Gunners face Tottenham again this weekend, but the game could be too soon for the youngster to complete his return to action on the field.
Max Dauman (second from left) was spotted returning to Arsenal’s first-team training this week (Image: Arsenal FC/YouTube)
Earlier this week, Arteta described the midfielder as making “good progress” in his rehabilitation, but suggested fans may need to be a little more patient before he returns to competitive action. “Max is still unreachable,” the Spaniard said.
“We’ll find out during the medical meeting. He’s doing very well. I think he’ll be back with the team in about a week. After that, it’s just a matter of getting his rhythm back and being ready for selection.”
Anticipation and excitement about Dowman’s potential has steadily increased at Emirates Stadium in recent months. The talented teenager made an impression on his senior debut in a pre-season friendly against AC Milan last summer.
Then, in October, at just 15 years and 302 days old, he set a new milestone by becoming Arsenal’s youngest ever starter when he was selected to play in the EFL Cup fourth round match against Brighton.
Dauman is regarded as one of the brightest talents to come out of Arsenal’s academy (Image: PA)
Just a few days later, he entered the record books once again, coming on as a substitute in the 3-0 win over Slavia Prague in the group stage, becoming the youngest player to appear in the Champions League.
“Everything is natural for him, everything is OK, that’s how he plays,” Arteta said of Dauman in October. “That’s the trick. He doesn’t make a fuss about it. He’s just doing what he does best, which is playing football with a lot of courage and determination.”
His brief appearance against Slavia Prague was his last first-team appearance for Arsenal. Over the next few weeks, Dauman was featured on the substitute list for several Premier League games, but did not appear on the pitch until he was eventually ruled out due to an ankle problem.
Supporters will no doubt be keen to see him back as soon as possible, especially after the team’s recent poor performance has left the title race wide open. If ever they needed an elevator it’s now.
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