Arsenal legend reveals how Max Dowman asks for advice and complains about his own performances

Dowman frequently reaches out to Wilshere, who gave the teenager his Under-18s debut at the age of 13. Now managing Luton Town, the 34-year-old remains a close confidant for the attacker. Despite a stellar Man of the Match display against Mansfield Town in the FA Cup, the youngster was left frustrated. Wilshere told The Sun: "We speak, me and Max. The last time I spoke to him was after the Mansfield game and he wasn’t happy with his performance. Which I knew he wouldn’t be, because that’s just how he is."

This relentless drive separates the prospect from his peers. As he recovers from a recent ankle injury to feature for Arsenal, his hunger to develop remains evident. The Luton manager highlighted this refreshing attitude, stating: "There is a lot of care for the players now. But Max wants to be challenged all the time. That is really refreshing. He didn’t want to hear what he was good at — he knew that. He wanted to know how he could improve." This mindset could prove vital as he targets a spot in Thomas Tuchel's England squad.

Wilshere is a player who knows all about making the breakthrough at Arsenal at a young age and has revealed how he tries to help Dowman. He explained: "I try to help him with my experience of coming through and playing at a young age. Also, trying to help him with what Mikel Arteta wants, giving him a little bit of an advantage. He still needs to keep his head down and work hard. There is room for improvement and Max will be the first to admit that."

Dowman recently secured a 2-0 victory against Everton by scoring past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in stoppage time, becoming the youngest goalscorer in the competition's history at just 16 years and 73 days old. So, what comes next for the teenager? He is now on the verge of another monumental milestone. If he takes to the Wembley pitch in the Carabao Cup showpiece against Manchester City, he will become the youngest player to feature in a major domestic final since the Second World War.