Mikel Arteta hailed Max Dowman's "special" performance after the 15-year-old wonderkid made history by becoming Arsenal's youngest-ever starter in his side's Carabao Cup triumph over Brighton.

Second-half goals from Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka – who came on for Dowman with 20 minutes left – sealed a 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium, confirming Arsenal's progression to the fifth round and a home fixture against Crystal Palace.

However, it was Dowman, still two months and two days away from turning 16, who captured the headlines and received a standing ovation as he left the field.

"A tiny smile, that's what you get with him," said Arteta when asked how Dowman reacted when he told him he was starting. "For him everything is natural, for him everything is OK. It's the way he plays and that's the secret, that he doesn't make a big fuss of it.

"He just does what he does best, which is to play football. To play football with a lot of courage and determination and today again, he has shown some...