Max Dowman: some thoughts. A little bit of understanding and support would not go amiss for a targeted teenager who wants to play the game the right way, who doesn’t roll around on the ground when struck by a bad challenge, and he gets hit by a few. Officials take note. Coaches take note. There’s a balance with young talents of toughening them up physically and mentally while protecting them. There's a balance between admonishment for a mistake and encouragement to learn. Everyone wants to see Dowman fulfil his huge potential and develop into a major player for Arsenal and, eventually, England. Dowman is a special young talent, still only 16, still with the ink drying on his GCSE papers. He's still a kid, still learning. There have been (premature) calls for Dowman to be fast-tracked into England Under-21s, even the seniors. A month ago Thomas Tuchel and Lee Carsley conferred on Dowman and sensibly agreed his development would best be served by games with the Under-19s. “Max is always in the conversation because of his talent,” Carsley said. That talent has seen Dowman become the Premier League’s youngest ever goalscorer, become the youngest player in the Champions League, and also get targeted. He gets a kicking, nine times in an Under-19s international against Spain last year. On returning to Arsenal, Dowman was encouraged by his manager Mikel Arteta to learn from Bukayo Saka about the art of dealing with such aggression. It was all about avoiding contact and “to learn when to release the ball”. Arteta also praised Dowman’s “football IQ” with the “super smart” way he makes decisions, praise indeed. It’s impressive in one so young. His two red cards this month, one for England Under-19s against the USA behind closed doors in Marbella and now for Arsenal against Fleetwood Town, need placing in context. Trend or blip? Dowman, who usually has a composed temperament, suffered a number of robust challenges from the USA when he snapped and put in a strong challenge of his own. Some of those present in the game felt it was only a yellow. Dowman's not a petulant player, but his frustration spilled over at the aggression put in on him. Similar to last night. There were some robust League Two challenges going in from Fleetwood players on the English champions' winger, testing his temperament, and after 85 minutes he reacted. The focus was on his silly kick out towards Harrison Neal, a soft red but still a red under the Laws, when the focus should also have been on Neal’s challenge which could have injured Dowman. No card was issued against Neal. Michael Salisbury is an experienced referee, 16 years on the list, including now five years in the Premier League. Like all officials, Salisbury has a duty of care to all players to ensure they are not put at risk by bad challenges. Neal got the ball but the force and pace of his follow-through endangered Dowman, whose standing foot was momentarily trapped. Dowman, any player, deserved some protection from challenges like that. He also deserved some compassion from Arteta. It’s one thing having strong words in passing if a senior player was trooping off, red-carded, down the tunnel. But Dowman is 16, probably still fuming with the tackle on him, and frustration at dismissal and inevitable feeling of letting the team down. Dowman didn’t need the most important person in his professional life, Arteta, to compound his misery with a frosty few words as he headed towards the tunnel. He's 16. He wasn't being petulant. He was reacting to a bad challenge. Maybe Arteta was trying to make the point again about Dowman having to withstand such tackles, and not reacting. Arteta told reporters after the game that he had spoken pre-match to Dowman and the other players of the need for emotional control in such an intense occasion. Fair enough, Dowman will learn. Whatever Arteta's frustration, it felt harsh and small-minded by such a successful, established manager. Officials take note too. It’s worth recalling that Arteta’s club contacted the authorities when they felt Saka was being targeted with bad challenges. Talents - all players - deserve protection. #AFC

🚨 𝗠𝗜𝗞𝗘𝗟 𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗧𝗔 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗠𝗦 𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗦 𝗩𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗢 𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗥 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧! 😳📹 Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has questioned the consistency of refereeing decisions after receiving another booking for stepping outside his technical area! The Spaniard claims he has collected video footage showing rival Premier League managers doing the SAME thing without being punished. 👀 Arteta believes the rules are not being applied consistently and has even suggested introducing technology to monitor managers' movements on the touchline. The Arsenal manager's frustration has sparked another debate over whether certain managers receive different treatment from officials. Is Arteta being unfairly singled out by referees, or is he simply making excuses for his own behaviour? Is Arteta treated more harshly than other Premier League managers?

“That is brilliant leadership from Arsenal” 🗣️ Karl Robinson reacts to Arsenal’s decision to appeal Max Dowman’s red card from last night's match against Fleetwood.

Man United fans see their owners for what they are. They see their greed and their acquisitiveness. Man City fans are still in denial about theirs: OLIVER HOLT

Chelsea increasingly confident of signing Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott in January. Scott is Chelsea’s top target after Enzo Fernandez’s left for Manchester City on deadline day over the summer. Bournemouth want £100m+ and Xabi Alonso’s side are already in fresh talks having made multiple bids over the summer. Liverpool also hold an interest in Scott, but have less urgency to add a midfielder in January. Monaco's Lamine Camara, who Chelsea failed to sign on deadline day, and Roma's Manu Kone are two other targets.🍒 🤝 @alex_crook

Eddie Howe would be the most underwhelming appointment as Manchester United manager for nearly 50 years since Dave Sexton?

Scholes & Butt say YES or NO to potential next Manchester United manager to replace Michael Carrick… 😱

Is #NUFC a big club outside of Newcastle...? 🤔 Simon Jordan and Sean Dyche don't quite agree on this one! 👀

BREAKING: Fabian Hürzeler is not interested in leaving Brighton for Manchester United. Hürzeler one of the names appreciated in case Michael Carrick departs. Julian Nagelsmann also viewed as one of the leading contenders. More on @talkSPORT. 🤝 @alex_crook

2nd place Brighton currently making a mockery of the so called 'cartel' claims where teams are apparently unable to challenge under the current rules. Running a club well goes a long way it turns out .....

There’s a balance between a desire for physicality in the Premier League - it is still a contact sport - but avoiding excessive force that risks injuring an opponent. Some old-school challenging went on yesterday. Sven Botman fortunate not to be sent off for that challenge on Nicolas Jackson. Feet off the ground, at speed, slight scissors motion, potential leg-breaker if Jackson’s foot had been planted. Jarred Gillett, one of the PL’s better refs, deemed it worthy of only a yellow. VAR Stuart Attwell reviewed it for possible serious foul play and cleared it. Darren Cann, on TV duty, agreed, saying it was just "reckless". ProRef released audio of Gillett: “I think it's reckless. Even though you get a touch on the ball, it's still reckless”. That was more than reckless. Officials have to be stronger on challenges like that. Jackson told Sky afterwards that Botman “nearly broke my leg” but that it was “part of football”. Endangering an opponent is not part of football. Botman is a good player, and there was no malice intended. No connection with incident last year when Jackson elbowed Botman and was sent off; this was in the moment, speed, stopping a counter-attacking opponent. At Hill Dickinson Stadium, Morgan Rogers and James Garner had an old-school 50-50, flying in, targeting the ball. Rogers arguably more culpable with foot slightly raised but no card for either was the right verdict (although inconsistent given Harrison Armstrong’s booking). Bit naive of Rogers going in so hard on a booking. But then Garner was going in hard but fair, too. Old-school moment between two players who know each other, who played for England together earlier this month. Some players other than Garner and Rogers might have milked that challenge. Frustrating for Garner to have to go off for 60 seconds as he’d received medical attention. Also frustrating is the actions of some players during games trying to convince the ref to issue a card, a continued problem in the game.

🤔 “Why aren’t you as outraged by Chelsea?” 🙅 “It wasn’t on the same scale… and City refuse to admit any wrongdoing!” Piers and Simon debate the differences between Chelsea’s financial ‘cheating’ and Manchester City’s. 📺 youtu.be/6RhP302dQA8 @piersmorgan | @sjopinion10

📕STATE OF THE GAME 😱Most clubs in England ‘living on the edge of financial disaster’ 🧮94 per cent lose money 🔽 Two-thirds of EFL and National League effectively trading while insolvent dailymail.com/sport/football…

No it’s not hypocritical 😅 I’m talking about my striker diving for a penalty, me stopping a ball going over the line with my hand! I’m not talking about 900M in fake sponsorship over a number of years 🤯😅