The former West Ham United captain was poor in the first half and should have done better for Dan Ballard’s opener, but improved significantly in the second half.
For example, he provided the assist for Saka after winning the ball off Enzo Le Fee, and then for the rest of the game, he seemed to be everywhere.
Despite his poor first half, the Englishman still ended the game having made four clearances, three recoveries and one interception while also winning four of five duels.
In all, Rice and Saka showed why they are two of Arsenal’s best players in the second half on Saturday, but even so, both could well be surpassed by one of the club’s most exciting talents, who looks destined to become one of the best in the world.
The Arsenal star destined to be the best in the world
While Arsenal have more than a few talented youngsters in the squad, there is one who seems to have the most potential of all: Max Dowman.
The Hale Ender is still just 15 years old, but has been a player of interest for over a year now, with talk of the club trying to include him in senior squads last season.
That might sound absurd, but at the start of last season, respected talent scout Jacek Kulig described him as the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal.”
Then, this time last year, Hale End expert Will Balsam called him “the biggest talent in England.”
Unless they were watching his performances for the youth sides, fans had to take those in the know at face value; that was until pre-season.
Max-Dowman-Arsenal
The Chelmsford-born star in the making was finally given a taste of first-team action on the club’s summer tour and against Newcastle United, in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, instantly began “humiliating Premier League players.”
He did the same thing to Leeds United on his Premier League debut and then became the youngest player to start a game for the club in their 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup.
Not satisfied with just breaking a club record, Arteta then made the Hale End monster the youngest player in Champions League history when he came off the bench against Slavia Prague last week.
Now, the youngster is yet to score a senior goal for the North Londoners, but every time he’s made an appearance, he has passed the eye test with flying colours.
Unlike some of the senior players, he seems to relish taking on defenders and has a level of close control that is unrivaled in the squad.
Ultimately, it’s still early in his career, but as things stand, it does look like Dowman could, in the words of one analyst, become one of “the best in world” and surpass Saka and Rice in the process.