Max Dowman ‘taking the p**s’ out of rivals after being told he plays like Brazil legend

Former Manchester United star Nicky Butt has compared Arsenal’s Max Dowman to Brazil legend Kaka.

Dowman made his Premier League debut aged 15 in August after a stunning pre-season campaign but firmly announced himself on Saturday with his first goal for the club.

With Arsenal needing some inspiration against Everton, the teenager provided it, helping create his side’s opener before becoming Arsenal’s youngest goal scorer in history after springing the length of the pitch to roll it into an empty net.

Hype around the 16-year-old has intensified since with the topic of his possible inclusion in England’s World Cup squad even broached.

Dowman’s emergence has been compared to that of Wayne Rooney at Everton 24 years ago with former Chelsea captain John Terry even likening him to Lionel Messi.

But United legend Butt sees shades of 2008 Ballon d’Or winner Kaka in the young star.

‘Do you know who he reminds me of? Kaka,’ Butt told The Good the Bad and the Football.

‘I know he’s left-footed but his balance, he’s smooth, he’s a big lad. He’s just so talented, He took control of the game, he was teasing players, just touching it close to him, basically taking the p**s out of seasoned Premier League players.’

Butt continued: ‘It’s ridiculous, at 16 years of age, your body is not ready for it, your mentality is not ready for it, you think you are good but you are nowhere near the level.

‘I got my debut at 17, it wasn’t because I was good enough.

‘It was a little reward in a rubbish game because you’d been doing so well in the youth team. “Well done son, go and let your mum and dad watch you, but come back in two years.”

‘But he could start now, he is taking control of football matches.’

Dowman’s impact has heightened calls for him to have a more prominent role in the season run-in with Arsenal still fighting on four fronts.

But Rooney believes Mikel Arteta will continue to carefully manage his game time.

‘What an opportunity for him to be around the squad. He could be a Premier League winner when he’s still finishing school off,’ Rooney said.

‘He’s got an aura and a belief about him and it was the same against Everton. If it’s education first, I don’t think we’ll see much of him over the next few weeks.

‘He won’t be in as much as he’d probably like, but then you’ve got many years ahead of you.’