Max Dowman smashed James Vaughan’s record as the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history.
The Arsenal winger struck in stoppage time of the leaders’ 2-0 victory over Everton to beat the former Toffees striker’s mark by almost 200 days.
Here, the Press Association looks at the youngest five players to score in the Premier League.
1. Max Dowman – 16 years and 73 days old
Dowman was brought on at 0-0 as the Premier League leaders struggled to break down a resolute Everton.
But after Viktor Gyokeres opened the scoring in the 89th minute, Dowman clinched a potentially significant three points in the title race when he sprinted the length of the pitch to score into an empty net.
It was just the teenager’s third appearance in the competition and his first goal for the Gunners at senior level.
2. James Vaughan – 16 years and 270 days old
Striker Vaughan came off the bench to make his Everton debut against Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on April 10, 2005 and turned home Kevin Kilbane’s cross within 13 minutes of his arrival in a 4-0 win.
Vaughan’s time at Everton was blighted by injuries and he made only eight Premier League appearances before leaving the club in 2011.
He went on to play for Norwich, Huddersfield and Sunderland among others before finishing his career at Tranmere in 2021.
3. James Milner – 16 years and 356 days old
Milner was three days younger than Wayne Rooney when he broke the existing record to become the youngest player to score in the Premier League.
The midfielder struck in Leeds’ 2-1 victory at Sunderland on December 26, 2002, smashing home an equaliser just after half-time from Jason Wilcox’s cross.
Milner, now 40 and playing at Brighton, has had a distinguished career for club and country. He won 61 caps for England and holds the Premier League appearance record after also representing Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool.
4. Wayne Rooney – 16 years and 360 days old
Teenage titan Rooney said later that it was his ambition to score a Premier League goal before his 17th birthday and he did so against Arsenal on October 19, 2002.
Rooney announced himself to the football world and ended Arsenal’s 30-game unbeaten run simultaneously with a spectacular Goodison Park 25-yard winner that flew over the head of England goalkeeper David Seaman and went in off the underside of the crossbar.
The forward, who went on to have a trophy-laden 13-year spell at Manchester United before rejoining Everton and playing for DC United and Derby, won 120 caps for England and captained his country.
5. Rio Ngumoha – 16 years and 361 days old
Ngumoha became the first 16-year-old since Rooney to score a Premier League winner with his dramatic decider at St James’ Park.
Showing remarkable composure after Liverpool had let slip a two-goal lead against 10-man Newcastle, Ngumoha finished unerringly into the bottom corner of Nick Pope’s net from Mohamed Salah’s cross.
Ngumoha left Chelsea to join Liverpool in the summer of 2024 and became the youngest player to start a match for the Reds – aged 16 years and 135 days old – in a 4-0 FA Cup win over Accrington.
