It is an open secret that Man Utd are about to lose JJ Gabriel after a breakdown in the relationship, but that decision doesn’t look so bad right now.

There’s a large section of Man Utd fans who think that JJ Gabriel choosing to leave the club is the right decision because United just lurch from one disaster to another.

It doesn’t help that Michael Carrick doesn’t look very interested in giving youngsters a chance, so Gabriel is right to feel aggrieved.

However, Gabriel’s case is unique, and United’s decision doesn’t look as bad after the latest circus around Arsenal’s Max Dowman.

Max Dowman is a cautionary tale for JJ Gabriel

Many United fans, and probably Gabriel himself, looked at Max Dowman at Arsenal and wondered that if he can get a first-team chance for the Premier League winners, why can’t Gabriel get one for a struggling team?

There is an argument to be made that it’s easier for youngsters to walk into a settled and successful team rather than saving a dysfunctional one, but that’s not even the point here.

JJ Gabriel could be set to LEAVE Man Utd!

What is your INSTANT REACTION to the claims?

During Arsenal’s shock elimination at the hands of Fleetwood Town, Dowman grabbed all the wrong headlines after getting sent off near full-time.

Immediately, the 16-year-old prodigy became the biggest story of the match, and Arteta had to answer numerous questions about him afterwards.

It’s appreciable that Arteta has given Dowman a chance, but at that age, players still need protection, especially in the current social media age.

Furthermore, the scrutiny that comes with playing for Man Utd is arguably 100x greater than Arsenal, so Gabriel would be asked to swim at the deep end from minute one.

Forget competitive football, Gabriel made his debut against Atletico in the pre-season and there were already two sections calling him “ready” or “physically underdeveloped” based on those ten minutes.

Now imagine if Gabriel played a competitive game for the club and had a nightmare, which is inevitable given his age. People would be on it to pile on him, and that can often trap players in a vicious cycle.

Dowman is more physically developed, plays in a better team, under a stable manager, in a model dressing room, and he’s still getting pelters for his first bad game.

United were simply protecting Gabriel from the same fate, but on a much larger scale, by delaying his debut.