Arsenal youngster Marli Salmon was named on the bench for the first time in the Premier League in Saturday's game against Aston Villa. Salmon, 16, is one of a crop of exciting youngsters coming through the Arsenal academy and is in the same age group as Max Dowman, who has already made his first-team debut. He was one of two 15-year-olds on the Arsenal pre-season tour of Asia and featured against AC Milan and Newcastle United in Singapore.
Arsenal's 13-year-old midfielder Luis Munoz has become the youngest ever player to feature in the Uefa Youth League. The England Under-15 international, born in December 2011, came off the bench in the 85th minute of Arsenal's 4-2 win over Bayern Munich in the under-19s competition - in a game that was also notable because of two goals from Gunners wonderkid Max Dowman.
Arsenal's Hale End academy looks to have produced another generational talent in Dowman, with the 15-year-old midfielder already drawing stylistic comparisons to Martin Ødegaard as a right-sided playmaker who drifts infield onto his stronger left foot. A key difference is that Dowman dazzles with his dribbling, take-ons and speed on the ball, while his composure to stand up against senior defenders, as seen on Arsenal's preseason tour, is also impressive for one so young.
