Gunners Fire Up Crowd

Arsenal entertain with win inspired by teen Dowman and unveiling of striker Gyokeres

- Sazali Abdul Aziz

Some 38,720 fans were treated to a spectacle between English Premier League sides Arsenal and Newcastle United at the National Stadium on July 27, which saw the star turn of 15-year-old Max Dowman as the Gunners won 3-2.

The game wrapped up the 2025 Singapore Festival of Football, which also featured a game between Arsenal and Italian giants AC Milan on July 23, with the London side winning 1-0.

The crowd on July 27 was a marked improvement from the 22,813 who attended the first game, although there were still swathes of empty seats visible. Those who showed up were treated to the unveiling of new Gunners striker Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede, who signed for a reported £55 million (S$94 million) on July 26, received rapturous applause from the Arsenal supporters as he strolled out onto the Kallang pitch in a Gunners kit with the No. 14 emblazoned on the back of his jersey.

The action on the pitch, too, was an upgrade from the somewhat plodding football that was on display at times in the Arsenal-Milan game.

Newcastle's own £55 million recruit Anthony Elanga opened the scoring in the sixth minute, but Arsenal responded with a quickfire double in the 33rd and 35th minutes through Mikel Merino and an own goal from young Newcastle defender Alex Murphy. Arsenal striker Kai Havertz, perhaps playing with a point to prove, created both goals.