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As Arsenal were sent crashing out of the FA Cup at the hands of Championship side Southampton on Saturday night, Max Dowman was the sole bright spark on an otherwise dark night on the south coast.
The 16-year-old midfield star was named in the starting lineup for the Gunners' clash with the Saints and while he couldn't send his side into the semi-finals, he was by far his side's best player as he completed 90 minutes for the first time in senior football.
His performance at St Mary's wasn't just another addition to an impressive string of showings for the first tean, but instead a statement that Mikel Arteta simply can not afford to ignore for the remainder of the season.
Max Dowman just made a statement Mikel Arteta can't ignore
It's no secret that Dowman is one of the hottest prospects in Europe. Having caught the eye ahead of his debut season in the Arsenal first team, he was always tipped for big things, but his inspiring cameos throughout the campaign has shown just how good he is.
Having announced himself to the Premier League just weeks ago when he netted the second in a 2-0 win over Everton to become the top flight's youngest goalscorer of all time, he proved what he can offer the Gunners.
Cup competitions are where he has shined this season, but not many would have expected him to start in the quarter-finals against Southampton, one of the Championship's most in-form teams. Despite Arteta knowing a spot in the last four was on the line, he showed his faith in Dowman by naming him in the starting lineup.
Although it was just his third start for the club, the youngster looked so comfortable on the right wing and caused so many problems for the Saints' defence before tactical changes saw him move inside to a number 10 role, where he continued to thrive.
While Dowman completed the full 90 minutes and was by far the most influential player for his side, he couldn't make enough of an impact to prevent defeat as an 85th minute Shea Charles strike condemned the Gunners to a disappointing quarter-final exit.
However, the loss should not take anything away from Dowman's performance and there is no denying he has certainly sent Arteta a statement that he can not afford to ignore for the remainder of the season.
It has to be taken into account that it was against a Championship side, but the youngster stood out among a team made up of both seasoned professionals and experienced players while they were all arguably outplayed by a team fighting to break into the second division promotion play-offs.
The FA Cup exit and the previous Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City means Arsenal's season hangs in the balance. They are still nine points clear at the top of the league and in a good position to reach the Champions League final, but their last two performances have done absolutely nothing to prove them as winners and not bottlers.
Arteta would be incredibly bold to give Dowman a bigger role for the season run-in, but he has to consider doing it. Bukayo Saka isn't performing, Noni Madueke's showings are too mixed, Martin Ødegaard has only just returned from injury and Eberechi Eze is set for a spell on the sidelines. Something has to change for the Gunners if they are to go on and win titles.
Dowman's showing against Southampton showed how impactful he can be for Arsenal and he has to be more involved for the remainder of the season. He offers something different to the primary options and despite his young age, he looks very capable of helping his side to glory. Arteta just has to trust him more often.