Teenagers shining for Liverpool, Arsenal ahead of meeting of the Premier League title rivals

A 15-year-old still on summer vacation from school won a penalty for Arsenal on his Premier League debut. A 16-year-old scored a last-gasp winner for Liverpool in his first match in the top division.

Kids are being given a chance by England’s top teams at the start of this season — and they are making the most of the opportunity.

Now Max Dowman and Rio Ngumoha might be going head-to-head in the biggest match so far in the Premier League.

The highlight of the third round of games this weekend sees Arsenal travel to Liverpool on Sunday for a meeting between two teams who are on a maximum six points and are likely to be battling for the title.

What also links the two powerhouse teams is their trust in young talent.

At 15 years and 235 days, Dowman became the second-youngest player to feature in the Premier League when he entered as a substitute for Arsenal in a 5-0 win over Leeds on Saturday. He showed excellent technical skills and dribbling ability, earning a late penalty that was converted for the final goal.

Four days before his 17th birthday, Ngumoha made his senior Liverpool debut when coming on as a late substitute at Newcastle on Monday and secured a 3-2 win in dramatic style by scoring off one of the last kicks of the game.

Both teenagers are likely to be on the bench again at Anfield but don’t be surprised if their managers turn to them late in a game that will see at least one 100% record disappear.

Key matchups

Tottenham is the only other team to have won both its opening two games and next hosts Bournemouth on Saturday. Spurs are yet to concede a goal in a clear change of emphasis under new manager Thomas Frank, who is more defensively minded than predecessor Ange Postecoglou.

Manchester City is looking to bounce back from a 2-0 home loss to Tottenham when visiting Brighton on Sunday.

There are already two clubs close to crisis not even three weeks into the season.

Manchester United hosts Burnley on Saturday, three days after a humiliating exit in the English League Cup at the hands of fourth-tier Grimsby Town.

Then there’s West Ham, which conceded a total of eight goals in defeats to Sunderland and Chelsea and also has been eliminated from the League Cup — on a night when captain Jarrod Bowen tried to confront his own fans. Next up is a trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday.