Mikel Arteta has welcomed Lionel Messi’s apparent backing of Max Dowman, even if the source of the prediction remains open to doubt. A recent adidas campaign placed the Arsenal teenager among 10 players expected to shape football’s next era, with Messi framed as the figure making the selections.

The commercial has understandably prompted some scepticism, not least because every player featured is signed to adidas. Even so, Dowman’s progress at Arsenal has already been striking. By 16, he has advanced at a pace that points toward the possibility of top-level football in time.

Arteta was asked this week about Messi’s supposed view of the youngster, and he responded in full support of the idea. “If Messi, who is the best ever player, says that … his eyes are I think better than anybody else’s. Hopefully he’s right,” the Arsenal boss said.

For Arteta, the wider point matters more than the campaign itself. Dowman has already broken through in unusual fashion, playing Under-18s football for Arsenal at 13 and then turning out for the Under-21s at 14. He is the Premier League’s youngest ever goalscorer and its second youngest player. He is also the youngest Premier League champion and the youngest ever Champions League player.

This season, Dowman has scored twice in a Carabao Cup win for Arsenal and has made one Premier League appearance, while continuing to share time with the Under-21s. He will not turn 17, and therefore cannot legally drive in the U.K., until Dec. 31.

Arteta believes the teenager’s ceiling remains enormous. “In the few appearances he’s had, he’s already done remarkable things. That’s somebody that is touched with a special gift,” he said.

“He’s a joy to watch. The way he moves, the way he touches the ball, the way he carries himself, it’s just different. And that’s what makes him unique.”

Jack Wilshere, who managed Dowman in Arsenal’s Under-18s and once coached him as a 13-year-old, has also described the scale of his talent. “Don’t get into a duel, take one or two touches, move it around,” Wilshere recalled telling him. “He picked up the ball, dribbled round five players, squared it and we [scored]. I have never seen anything like it.

“He went on with us and developed a bit more, and physically his numbers were a joke … the metrics they use now—high-speed running, sprints, total distance—were Premier League level and he was 14. He can be what he wants. He’s got a good family around him as well.”

Wilshere added that the next stage is consistency. “get into the team and stay in the team,” he said. “He’ll probably have to play on the sides if he wants a run in the team.” Arteta, meanwhile, believes Dowman can adapt when the time comes.

After a three-week international pause, the Premier League resumed with a sixth round that produced a strong spread of individual displays. Using FotMob’s player ratings, here is a rewritten look at the weekend’s top 10 performers.

Declan Rice earned an 8.3 in Arsenal’s 2-1 comeback win over Leeds United. The midfielder was central to the result, posting a match-high 89 touches, adding 10 defensive contributions and producing the kind of subtle quality that made Bruno Guimarães’s winning goal possible.

Chelsea also featured heavily. Morgan Rogers, rated 8.3, scored the Blues’ second in their 5-1 win over Bournemouth and continued to settle quickly at Stamford Bridge. His dribbling stood out, while a cross-cum-shot helped take him to four Premier League goals in six games. He also recorded a match-high 13 defensive contributions.

Crystal Palace’s 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest included strong showings from Yéremy Pino and Adam Wharton, both on 8.3. Pino got on the scoresheet and created the most chances in the match with three, while Wharton supplied an assist from a corner and combined control with discipline, winning 75% of his ground duels and 100% of his aerial battles without conceding a foul.

Jérémy Doku changed Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Liverpool from the bench, yet still led the match in dribbles with five and chances created with three before finishing with a superb strike. Elliot Anderson, rated 8.5, provided relentless energy and creativity, capped by the assist for Doku’s goal.

Rayan Cherki was the top-rated City player against Liverpool at 8.6, ending the scoring with a goal that summed up his flair and confidence. João Pedro led the weekend with an 8.8 after two goals for Chelsea against Bournemouth, doing his job in the physical contest and still making a decisive attacking impact from 25 touches.

After an international break that was longer than most, the Premier League resumes with a slate of fixtures that should quickly restore the league to centre stage. Gameweek 6 brings heavyweight meetings, difficult home tests and plenty of pressure on sides already searching for rhythm.

Arsenal’s defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion before the break ended a remarkable run and raised the question of how they would react. Five months had passed since their previous league loss, but the 3-0 reverse on the south coast was a severe setback. Leeds United now arrive at the Emirates Stadium unbeaten and sitting fifth, only three points behind the Gunners, while history still strongly favours Arsenal, who have won their last eight meetings with Leeds in all competitions.

Chelsea also need a response after being beaten 3-0 by Brentford. That result was their third consecutive league match without a win and the third time they have conceded three goals in a game this season. Bournemouth’s visit offers little comfort, especially with Chelsea waiting on late checks for João Pedro, Cole Palmer, Moisés Caicedo and Reece James. Marco Rose’s side may be winless, but they have taken points from Chelsea in four of the last six meetings.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur meet under clear pressure. United have managed only five points from a manageable run, with defeats to Hull City and 10-man Manchester City damaging the mood. Tottenham, meanwhile, sit bottom after two goalless draws and three defeats, and Roberto De Zerbi’s side arrive with their costly new arrivals yet to settle. The stakes are obvious for both clubs.

The weekend’s headline fixture comes at Liverpool, where Manchester City play for the first time since being found guilty of 114 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. After a three-year investigation, the verdict has inevitably shifted attention onto Enzo Maresca and his players, even if they had no part in the issue. City have won all five league games under Maresca, but this is a different test entirely.

Liverpool have every reason to make the occasion felt. They have twice been runners-up to City title teams since 2009 and remain one of the most persistent challengers of the last decade. With the atmosphere set to be intense, this could become one of the defining matches of the round.