Arteta explains comments to Dowman after red card in Carabao Cup exit
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta explained his interaction with Max Dowman following the teenager's sending off during the Carabao Cup match against Fleetwood Town on Wednesday, 28 October 2026.
Red card incident details
Max Dowman received a straight red card for violent conduct after kicking out at Harrison Neal. The teenager was sent off following a strong challenge by the Fleetwood defender that occurred before Arsenal lost on penalties. Arteta leaned toward Dowman in the tunnel and said something to him as he walked past the dugouts.
Manager response to criticism
Paul Merson criticized Arteta for not putting an arm around the young player after the sending off. When asked what was said, Arteta told reporters that the exchange was something they discussed before the game began. He refused to provide further details when pressed by journalists about the specific words used.
Context of the match
Arsenal exited the competition after a penalty shootout defeat against the League Two side Fleetwood Town. The match ended with a scoreline of one goal each before the decisive shoot-out round. Arteta stated that the team prepared for specific emotional contexts they expected to face during the fixture.
All 2 outlets report consistently
No differences in figures, names or dates across these reports.
- Sky Sports
- The Guardian
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