5 Rising Young Stars Creating a Selection Headache for Their Managers

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The Carabao Cup is often where young players get their chance. For some, it is simply about getting a few minutes and gaining valuable experience. For others, it can be the night that changes everything.

This year’s competition has already provided several youngsters with the perfect platform to show their managers what they can do, and some have made it seriously difficult to simply return them to the academy or the substitutes’ bench. Just ask Mikel Arteta.

Max Dowman has been making plenty of noise for Arsenal already, but his latest performance against Ipswich Town took things to another level.

Two goals and an assist from a 16-year-old is difficult enough to ignore. The fact that Dowman looked completely at home makes it even harder, and suddenly, Arteta has a problem. A very good one, admittedly. How do you leave him out?

Dowman is not the only youngster who has given his manager something to think about, though.

Here are five young stars who have used the Carabao Cup to put themselves firmly into the first-team conversation.

Max Dowman – Arsenal

Arteta has a serious problem on his hands. Let’s start with the obvious one. Max Dowman was electric against Ipswich. The 16-year-old scored twice as Arsenal secured a 4-2 victory, producing the sort of display that makes you forget just how young he actually is.

His first goal came after he danced beyond Cedric Kipré before finishing, while his second completed his brace. There is a reason the hype around Dowman has been building, but hype is one thing; producing when the opportunity arrives is another. Dowman has now done exactly that.

Arteta will still be conscious of managing the teenager’s development. Nobody is suggesting Arsenal should suddenly throw him into every Premier League game, but the youngster has given his manager a rather awkward question to answer.

If he keeps producing performances like this, how long can Arsenal realistically keep him on the outside looking in? For a 16-year-old, Dowman is making an awfully big case for himself.

Shea Lacey – Manchester United

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 16: Shea Lacey of Manchester United during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford on September 16, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

Lacey has arrived at the perfect time. Manchester United may have been dumped out by Brighton and Hove Albion, but Shea Lacey ensured the night was not a complete write-off.

The 19-year-old marked his full debut with a stunning goal just seven minutes into the game, cutting inside before firing beyond Jason Steele.

United eventually threw away a two-goal lead and lost 3-2, but Lacey’s performance was one of the biggest positives Michael Carrick could take from the night, and the timing could hardly be better.

The Red Devils need players who can inject energy and unpredictability into their attack. Lacey has now shown that he is capable of doing exactly that on the senior stage. One goal will not suddenly guarantee him a starting place, but it has changed the conversation.

Carrick now knows Lacey can handle the occasion. The teenager has knocked on the door; now, will United open it?

Floyd Samba – Manchester City

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Floyd Samba of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team’s fourth goal during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Manchester City and Norwich City at Etihad Stadium on September 17, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Two goals. A debut. A headache for Maresca. Some players make their senior debut and spend the night trying to find their feet. Floyd Samba decided to introduce himself properly.

The 17-year-old scored twice on his Manchester City debut as Enzo Maresca’s side smashed Norwich City 5-0, but there was another interesting twist. Samba is normally a midfielder, but Maresca deployed him as a false nine, and it worked.

His first goal came via a header before he added another with a curling effort in the second half. Suddenly, a player who many supporters may not have known much about before kick-off was one of the biggest talking points coming out of the game. Manchester City are hardly short of attacking options, but that is what makes Samba’s performance so intriguing.

He has shown Maresca that he can operate in an unfamiliar role, handle senior football, and, most importantly, score goals. Two on your debut is one hell of a way to make your case.

Lewis Koumas – Liverpool

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 15: Lewis Koumas of Liverpool shoots during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on September 15, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Forget the goals, Koumas gave Iraola something else. Lewis Koumas’ performance against Tottenham Hotspur was perhaps the most interesting of the five. Why? Because he did not need to score. The 20-year-old led the line in Liverpool‘s 3-1 victory and was named Player of the Match, despite not producing the sort of eye-catching statistics you might normally associate with the award.

Instead, it was his work without the ball that caught the eye. Koumas pressed, he ran, he created space, and he gave Spurs’ defenders very little time to settle, and that is exactly what Andoni Iraola wanted. The Liverpool head coach praised the youngster’s energy after the game, describing it as contagious and highlighting how his running set the tone for those around him.

That could be hugely important for Koumas. Liverpool have plenty of big-name attacking options, but he has shown he can offer something different. He did not just turn up and play. He showed his manager that he understood exactly what was being asked of him. That makes leaving him out next time just a little bit harder.

Reggie Watson – Chelsea

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 09: Reggie Watson of Chelsea runs with the ball during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Chelsea and Leeds United at Stamford Bridge on September 09, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Chelsea‘s 16-year-old has thrown his name into the hat. Reggie Watson’s story is slightly different. The 16-year-old did not produce a goal or assist against Leeds, and Chelsea’s incredible 6-3 comeback eventually overshadowed his debut, but that does not mean the midfielder failed to make an impression. Far from it.

Watson became the fourth-youngest player in Chelsea’s history when Xabi Alonso handed him his competitive debut. He was trusted to start in midfield alongside Valentin Barco, having already impressed during Chelsea’s pre-season tour, and there were encouraging signs.

Watson completed 27 of his 29 passes and made five defensive contributions, including three interceptions and two tackles, before being replaced at half-time.

Alonso had already explained why he trusted the teenager, praising Watson’s reliability, focus, and performances during pre-season. That is significant.

Chelsea have an enormous squad and plenty of established midfielders competing for places. Watson is not suddenly going to become a regular Premier League starter, but he has done something arguably just as important. He has made sure Alonso knows his name.

The young stars are knocking on the door.

The Carabao Cup is designed to give players opportunities, but opportunities only matter if you take them.

Dowman certainly did. So did Samba. Lacey announced himself with a brilliant debut goal, and Koumas showed Liverpool exactly what he can offer without the ball, while Watson demonstrated that being 16 does not necessarily mean looking out of place in senior football.

None of them are guaranteed to start every week. That is not what this is about.

The point is that their managers now have another name to consider when picking their teams, and for young players trying to break into some of the biggest clubs in English football, that might be the biggest victory of all.