By scoring against Everton, Max Dowman has claimed a slice of Premier League history by becoming the competition’s youngest-ever goalscorer and breaking a record that has stood for 20 years.
When he made his debut against Leeds United back in August, the then-15-year-old winger became the division’s second-youngest player behind our very own Ethan Nwaneri, but after finding the net against the Toffees, we now boast the Premier League’s youngest player and goalscorer since its foundation in 1992.
Aged just 16 years and 73 days, Max has broken a milestone that had been held for two decades by James Vaughan, who scored for Everton against Crystal Palace aged 16 years and 270 days in April 2005. Incredibly, playing, and indeed scoring, for the Toffees that day was a certain Mikel Arteta, who ultimately would hand Max the opportunity to set a new Premier League benchmark all those years later.
Max has shattered Vaughan’s feat by 197 days – he had until the end of September 2026 to create history, but his strike against Everton has already propelled him firmly to the top of the rankings:
Youngest PL scorers
Date of goal
Player
Club
Opponent
Age
Mar 2026
Max Dowman
Arsenal
Everton
16y, 73d
Apr 2005
James Vaughan
Everton
Crystal Palace
16y 270d
Dec 2002
James Milner
Leeds
Sunderland
16y 356d
Oct 2002
Wayne Rooney
Everton
Arsenal
16y 360d
Aug 2025
Rio Ngumoha
Liverpool
Newcastle
16y 361d
Aug 2004
Cesc Fabregas
Arsenal
Blackburn
17y 113d
May 1997
Michael Owen
Liverpool
Wimbledon
17y 143d
Sep 1992
Andy Turner
Tottenham
Everton
17y 166d
Apr 2009
Federico Macheda
Man Utd
Aston Villa
17y 226d
Dec 2023
Lewis Miley
Newcastle
Fulham
17y 229d
Nov 2024
Ethan Nwaneri
Arsenal
Nottm Forest
17y 247d
As well as achieving something no player in Premier League history has done earlier in their lifetime, Max has also overtaken Cesc Fabregas at the top of our standings to break a record which had stood longer than Vaughan’s.
Back in December 2003 – six years before Max was born – the fresh-faced Spaniard made a name for himself when he netted in a League Cup tie against Wolves, aged 16 years and 212 days.
That means that Max has overtaken Cesc by 139 days to move to the top of our club standings as well, as the incredible start to his career hits new heights:
Arsenal’s youngest ever scorers
Date
Player
Opponent
Competition
Age
Mar 2026
Max Dowman
Everton
Premier League
16y 73d
Dec 2003
Cesc Fabregas
Wolves
League Cup
16y 212d
Sep 2008
Jack Wilshere
Sheff Utd
League Cup
16y 266d
Mar 1982
Stewart Robson
Ipswich
First Division
17y 127d
Nov 2004
Arturo Lupoli
Everton
League Cup
17y 138d
Sep 2024
Ethan Nwaneri
Bolton
League Cup
17y 188d
Jan 1895
Thomas Meade
Newcastle
Second Division
17y 243d
May 1962
George Armstrong
Everton
First Division
17y 265d
Apr 1963
Jon Sammels
Blackpool
First Division
17y 278d
Jan 1930
Cliff Bastin
Sheff Wed
First Division
17y 296d
Oct 2008
Aaron Ramsey
Fenerbahce
Champions League
17y 300d
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