Max Dowman will be an England star but another Prem wonderkid will beat him to squad

Arsenal's Max Dowman has been tipped to star for England but another Premier League prospect could beat him there

Former England defender Joleon Lescott has thrown his support behind Max Dowman to earn his first cap and become a standout player for the national side. However, he has suggested Liverpool youngster Rio Ngumoha could be the first to make his debut.

The prodigious pair have both had standout seasons with their respective Premier League clubs this term. At just 16 years old, Dowman has received high praise and was recently crowned Man of the Match in Arsenal's FA Cup victory over Mansfield.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Ngumoha made a notable impact in Liverpool's 3-1 FA Cup triumph against Wolves. Speaking to All Out Football, Lescott suggested the Reds youngster is very much in contention to make a splash for England after Mirror Sport's Andy Dunn hinted at Dowman's potential inclusion in the World Cup 2026 squad.

"Yeah, I watched him, I did the game on the weekend [at Molineux], and I agree," said Lescott. "The end product probably doesn't look as clean as Max, but the decisions, what he [Ngumoha] was trying to do was more consistent.

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"So I think that, again, we spoke about the importance of decision-making to outcomes and people just see a cross or a shot. I'm like, 'That's unlucky'. I'm like, 'Should he have shot, though, or should he have dribbled or should he have passed? Was it the right decision to make rather than the right outcome that come of it?'

"Going back to Max, he's definitely going to play for England. And we were speaking about, he has got a chance, he's got a chance of being a world-class talent, 100 per cent. But I don't know who he's ahead of to not go [to the World Cup]."

It's extraordinary to consider Dowman is already being discussed as a potential World Cup squad member despite only having six senior appearances for Arsenal under his belt. However, this tally could have been significantly higher had he not been sidelined with injuries for much of the current campaign.

Dowman's performance at Mansfield saw him become the youngest player to start an FA Cup match for the Gunners, further cementing his status as a trailblazer. To his credit, the winger has consistently delivered moments of brilliance in his limited first-team minutes.

Ngumoha has had more opportunities to shine under Arne Slot and has netted one goal in 19 senior appearances for Liverpool. Given that he was born nearly 18 months before Dowman, it stands to reason that he might be further along in his development.

Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel is certainly not lacking in wide options as he assembles his World Cup squad for the summer. Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Morgan Rogers seem certain to make the cut, while Jarrod Bowen and a rejuvenated Marcus Rashford are also expected to travel to North America.

That's without mentioning other wide players such as Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke, who have equally shone under Tuchel. With such strength in depth available, it becomes increasingly challenging to imagine either Dowman or Ngumoha breaking through before the summer.

Having said that, both youngsters look certain to feature in future England squads beyond World Cup 2026. Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott remains the youngest England debutant having earned his first cap aged 17 years and 75 days.

The opportunity has already passed for Ngumoha to surpass that record, although there remains a window for Dowman to establish a new milestone. Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta's priorities will centre on how his starlet can contribute to Arsenal's prospects as they compete for honours across four fronts this season.

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