Mikel Arteta has said he remains "very disappointed" that Max Dowman was sent off during Arsenal's Carabao Cup defeat to Fleetwood Town on Tuesday evening. The Gunners lost 5-3 on penalties after the match finished 1-1 in normal time.
Shock Shootout Defeat
Summer signing Bruno Guimaraes missed a crucial spot kick, with Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch diving low to his left to save. Conor Haughey then converted to seal the shootout victory and send the League Two side into the quarter-finals, where they will face Everton on December 15.
The red card, shown with four minutes remaining, drew widespread reaction. The 16-year-old Dowman was dispossessed by Harrison Neal on the byline, with the Fleetwood defender trapping Dowman's leg. The teenager kicked out at Neal, sparking a fracas, and referee Michael Salisbury brandished a red card.
Arteta's Criticism of the Official
Speaking in his pre-Liverpool press conference on Friday, Arteta doubled down on his criticism of the decision, saying: "Very disappointed to be fair especially with the reckless tackle that he received.
"His reaction is minimal in compared to the action. It is what it is, we have put every argument on the table to make a case for it. Max's action is clear, obviously we have a very different opinion, you have to read into the context, the age, the player. It could have been really bad and we're really lucky today that he doesn't have a broken foot."
Arsenal's exit leaves them out of the Carabao Cup, with the club's focus now turning to their next Premier League fixture against Liverpool.
