Max Dowman sees red as Arsenal dumped out by Fleetwood Town

Arsenal suffered a major shock in the Carabao Cup round of 16, crashing out of the tournament following a penalty shootout defeat against Fleetwood Town, a side sitting 84 places below them in the English football pyramid. Despite dominating possession with 78 percent and registering 26 shots during regular time, Mikel Arteta's side failed to secure a victory as the match ended in a 1-1 draw before the lower-league hosts triumphed from the spot.

The evening turned sour for the Premier League champions when 16-year-old winger Max Dowman, making only his second start of the season, was shown a straight red card in the second half. Referee Michael Salisbury dismissed the teenager after he reacted to a heavy challenge from Fleetwood defender Harrison Neal by making a distinct movement with his leg toward the opponent.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Television cameras captured Arteta giving the youngster a scathing look and angrily shouting at him as the winger headed down the tunnel. Speaking after the match, the Arsenal manager revealed that the incident involved something they had already discussed prior to the match, acknowledging that opponents often target the exceptional youngster with aggressive challenges. This marks Dowman's second red card of the month, following a previous dismissal while representing England under-19s during the international break.

Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman weighed in on the incident, suggesting that a lack of experience ultimately caused the teenager's loss of composure on the pitch.