- Max Dowman scored and assisted as Arsenal beat Girona 4-1 in preseason, with Christos Tzolis also impressing on his unofficial debut.
Arsenal begin preseason with convincing Girona victory
Arsenal began their 2026-27 preseason campaign with a convincing 4-1 victory over Girona at the Estadi Municipal de Montilivi.
On their first preseason game ahead of the 2026-27 season, this game featured several first-team stars, new signing Christos Tzolis, and academy talents.
Tzolis impressed in his unofficial debut for the team with a goal in the 30th minute to double the lead against the hosts. Gabriel Jesus, Dowman, and Havertz also placed their names on the scoresheet.
Max Dowman steals the spotlight
16-year-old wonderkid Max Dowman had an outstanding game against Girona. He started the game on the right wing and played 62 minutes, scoring 1 goal and providing an assist. He was the standout player on the Arsenal side with an 8.5 rating (via FotMob).
Despite being the youngest on the pitch, he provided dynamism and direct threat on the right-hand side. He did multiple runs on his wing to break the opposition defense. His assist for Havertz's opener shows the quality of his decision-making and passing, as the pass completely broke the Girona defense.
His strike for Arsenal's third goal found the bottom-left corner of the post from outside of the box.
The numbers behind Dowman's performance
Dowman had the joint-most touches (6) in the opposition box along with Christos Tzolis and completed the most dribbles (3) in the match. He created 1 big chance, made 5 recoveries, and won 5 ground duels.
Why Arsenal is carefully developing the teenager
In last season’s preseason games, Dowman impressed Arteta and earned his senior debut with Arsenal in the Champions League and Premier League and scored a goal.
Arsenal's plan is to gradually integrate Dowman into the first team without placing excessive pressure on him. He is expected to get more minutes in the 2026-27 campaign than last season in both the Champions League and the Premier League.