Mikel Arteta addresses Dowman's red card in Cup defeat

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta explained his reaction to Max Dowman following the teenager's red card during the Gunners' unexpected Carabao Cup defeat to Fleetwood Town. Dowman, aged 16, was sent off in the match's closing stages for kicking Fleetwood midfielder Harrison Neal after a heavy challenge.

Arteta expressed visible anger as Dowman left the pitch, which drew criticism from pundits. After the match, Arteta stated that their exchange was based on a prior discussion about controlling emotions, highlighting that the team had prepared for the physicality expected from Fleetwood.

He refrained from making a definitive judgment on Dowman's dismissal, indicating he would review the incident thoroughly. Arsenal's defeat culminated in a 5-3 penalty shootout loss after Viktor Gyokeres equalized, with Bruno Guimaraes missing the decisive penalty, leading to a disappointing exit for the Premier League champions.