Premier League champions Arsenal suffered a stunning Carabao Cup exit after fourth-tier Fleetwood Town eliminated Mikel Arteta’s side on penalties following a 1-1 draw in their last-16 encounter.
The result marked a memorable night for Fleetwood, who overcame a significant gap in league status to send one of English football’s biggest clubs crashing out of the competition.
Arsenal dominated possession and created numerous opportunities, registering 26 shots and controlling 78 per cent of the ball. However, the Gunners struggled to turn their superiority into goals and were ultimately punished in the penalty shootout.
The defeat was made even more frustrating for Arteta by the circumstances surrounding the match, with Arsenal unable to find a decisive breakthrough despite their attacking pressure.
Max Dowman sees red in costly moment
Sixteen-year-old Max Dowman became one of the central talking points after receiving the first red card of his senior career.
The young winger had impressed in the previous round, scoring twice in Arsenal’s victory over Ipswich Town. Arteta rewarded him with another start, but his evening ended in disappointment following a confrontation with Fleetwood’s Harrison Neal.
After being on the receiving end of a heavy challenge, Dowman reacted by moving his leg towards Neal, prompting referee Michael Salisbury to send him off.
It was the teenager’s second red card of the month, having also been dismissed while representing England Under-19s during the international break.
Arteta appeared visibly frustrated as Dowman left the pitch. The Arsenal manager later explained that the incident involved something the team had discussed before the match.
Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson, speaking on Sky Sports, argued that the teenager needed support and understanding, pointing to his age and limited experience at senior level.
Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman, meanwhile, felt Dowman had little grounds for complaint over the dismissal and stressed that young players must learn to control their reactions under pressure.
Arteta’s experimental line-up fails to deliver
Arsenal entered the match with several attacking players unavailable, including Bukayo Saka, Christos Tzolis and Noni Madueke. Their absences contributed to Arteta selecting a less familiar line-up.
The manager handed a debut to 18-year-old Ceadach O’Neill, while 17-year-old Marli Salmon started in central defence. Dowman, aged 16, featured on the wing, and goalkeeper Illan Meslier made his first start for the club.
However, the team also included experienced players such as Jurrien Timber, Piero Hincapié, Martin Zubimendi, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyökeres.
Even with captain Martin Ødegaard and Bruno Guimarães introduced from the bench, Arsenal could not find a way to avoid
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