Teenage Arsenal winger Ainsley Maitland-Niles continued his impressive spell at Ipswich Town with a man of the match performance on Friday night.
The 18-year-old has earned rave reviews from Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy since joining the Championship club on loan, and carried on impressing as a monstrous run ended up with Tractor Boys winning a penalty.
Maitland-Niles storming run wins penalty which Ipswich convert to draw level #itfcvsbcfc#afcpic.twitter.com/0PFl2HmMm1
— #Principles….. (@GzaDaRambler) September 18, 2015
Ipswich could only draw 1-1 with Birmingham City, who had fellow Arsenal loanee Jon Toral sat on the bench, but would have lost without Maitland-Niles’s impressive run.
On the night no player beat more men through dribbling than Maitland-Niles, who also lost possession on a dangerously high five occasions.
Nonetheless, winning the penalty that earned his side a point, the midfielder was awarded with the man of the match award.
Congratulations to @Ains_7, who was chosen as man of the match v Birmingham by our hospitality guests #itfcpic.twitter.com/e4DgNcZFEx
— Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) September 21, 2015
It wasn’t the first time he’s won man of the match this season. The England youth international has only just turned 18 and, during his first season of professional football, is doing some impressive stuff. Hopefully it continues and he can have the successful career at Arsenal that many are predicting.