Arteta says had gut feeling teenager Dowman would make impact

LONDON, March 14 : Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had a gut feeling that 16-year-old Max Dowman would have an impact against Everton on Saturday but not even the Spaniard could have envisaged how big it would be.

Arteta's side were labouring and in danger of dropping crucial points when Dowman, introduced as a substitute on the hour, provided the spark his side had been missing.

It was his cross that led to Arsenal's opener for Viktor Gyokeres in the 89th minute and then, deep in stoppage time, he raced half the length of the pitch to become the youngest scorer in the London club's rich history and the youngest from any club to score in the Premier League.

If the dust settles on the season with Arsenal as Premier League champions for the first time since 2004, fans might well look back at Dowman's history-making night as the pivotal moment when they really believed it would happen.

"Probably in my head I had a gut feeling. In the last few days in training and I had a gut feeling that it was a moment for him," Arteta said of the player who became the second-youngest player in Premier League history when he made his debut last August, aged 15 and 235 days, against Leeds United.

"He doesn't seem to be fazed by the occasion or the moment or the context or the opponent. He just plays so naturally.

"He makes decisions to make things happen and what he delivered was incredible."

Arteta said the maturity and poise Dowman showed during his spectacular cameo were "not normal"

"I said these are the moments in the season when something special has to happen, and he knows he has the ability. I have to give him the opportunity, and he will deliver," Arteta, whose side moved 10 points clear of Manchester City ahead of City's late game at West