Merino likens Arsenal’s Dowman to Lamine Yamal after Ipswich double

Max Dowman is continuing to earn bigger chances at Arsenal, and he backed it up with a decisive night: the teenager scored twice in the 4-2 win over Ipswich in the Carabao Cup, putting the Gunners into the last 16. It was also a milestone appearance, with Dowman making his first outing of the season, at Portman Road.

A brace sends Arsenal through

The performance didn’t just secure progress in the cup. It also fed into the wider conversation about expectations around England youth internationals—something Mikel Arteta acknowledged is difficult to manage, as the hype keeps building.

That’s where Mikel Merino stepped in with a strong comparison. Since Merino plays with Lamine Yamal for Spain, he said Dowman reminded him of the 19-year-old winger—not in style alone, but in mentality. As The Guardian reports, Merino said: “There are some similarities in terms of their character… They don’t care about the spotlight… They thrive when pressure is at the highest.”

Development over pressure

Merino also underlined the work Arsenal are doing behind the scenes. “He is an unbelievable talent… He is a big talent and we have to take care of him,” the midfielder added, insisting Dowman needs to keep learning and staying grounded as the spotlight grows. He even described the balancing act: you want the youngster to show what he can do, but you sometimes have to remind him he’s still human and part of a wider squad.

Finally, The Guardian notes Merino praised fellow youngster Marli Salmon after her impact against Ipswich, saying that playing centre-back requires real maturity because mistakes are punished quickly. For Arsenal, the message is clear: talent is there—but guidance and equilibrium are the next step.