Max Dowman grabbed headlines after Arsenal’s Carabao Cup win over Ipswich Town on Tuesday night, but Mikel Arteta had lavish praise for a much older Gunners star.
Arsenal continued their fabulous start to the season with a 4-2 win over the Tractor Boys, with 16-year-old Dowman scoring twice.
Noni Madueke was also on the scoresheet, as was Mikel Merino, who captained the Premier League champions at Portman Road.
The Spain star is not a regular starter for Arsenal but has been an important squad member and Arteta was full of praise for him after the win in the third round of the competition.
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‘He’s unbelievable,’ Arteta said of the 30-year-old. ‘First of all, he’s one of the most intelligent players that I’ve seen and I’ve worked with. Then the personality is just full of… I don’t know, he just wants to give for everybody.
‘He thinks about everything, he thinks about everybody. And on top of that, he has qualities that are unique in football and in our team, his capacity to arrive in the box, he’s capable of occupying different places, to play in different positions, to link play with people.
‘And as a midfielder, the ability that he has to score goals like tonight is a different one that we’ve seen lately, but another incredible one.’
Merino arrived from Real Sociedad in August 2024 for a fee of around £31.6 million.
The 51-cap Spain international has made 84 appearances for the Gunners since then, scoring 16 goals in all competitions
He remains a bit-part player in the Premier League, though, appearing in all four matches so far this season but every time as a substitute.
On wearing the captain’s armband on Tuesday, he said: ‘It’s a huge honour.
‘I’m so proud, and to represent this club in this way, wearing the armband – many legends have done it before me. To me it’s happiness and I try to do the best thing I can to represent this club, and I know how big it is to wear the armband, so I’m really happy.’
Arsenal will learn their fourth round fate when the draw is made on Wednesday evening after Manchester United play Brighton at Old Trafford.
There are four third round games on Wednesday before the last fixture at this stage on Thursday as Manchester City host Norwich City.
Premier League sides Tottenham, Leeds, Hull and Ipswich have already fallen at this stage.
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