Arsenal exit Carabao Cup after Fleetwood penalty shootout win

Arsenal have been eliminated from the Carabao Cup after losing to Fleetwood Town on penalties on Tuesday evening. The match ended 1-1 after 90 minutes, but Arsenal lost the shootout 5-3. This result ends the Premier League champions' campaign in the competition.

The loss marks the third time in 14 years that Arsenal have failed to win the League Cup. The last title victory for the club was in 1993. Arsenal previously suffered similar defeats to League Two side Bradford City in 2012 and Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in 2015.

The turning point occurred during normal time when 16-year-old Max Dowman was shown a red card. Dowman was playing on the wing for his second start of the season. He reacted to a heavy challenge from Fleetwood's Harrison Neal. Referee Michael Salisbury showed the young winger a direct red card. This is Dowman's second red card in the current month, following a dismissal while representing England U19s.

Manager Mikel Arteta reacted visibly to the sending off. He gave Dowman a stern look as the player left the pitch. Arteta later stated that the team had discussed the need for emotional control before the match began. He described the post-match atmosphere as sad for the squad.

Arsenal dominated possession, holding 78 percent of the ball. They recorded 26 shots on target throughout the match. Despite this statistical advantage, they conceded a goal early in the second half. Fleetwood took the lead, but Arsenal equalized to force the match into extra time and penalties.

Arteta deployed a young lineup due to injury concerns. Bukayo Saka, Christos Tzolis, and Noni Madueke were all unavailable. Saka is out for approximately six weeks, while Madueke was ruled out by a new injury. Tzolis is still working toward a return.

The starting eleven included several first-team regulars alongside youth players. Jurrien Timber, Piero Hincapie, Martin Zubimendi, Kai Havertz, and Viktor Gyokeres started the match. However, the team also featured 18-year-old Ceadach O'Neill, 17-year-old Marli Salmon, and goalkeeper Illan Meslier in their first starts for the club.

Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson criticized Arteta's reaction to Dowman's dismissal. Merson argued that the manager should have supported the young player instead of showing frustration. He noted that Dowman is only 16 years old and that such reactions can happen to experienced players as well.

Leon Osman, a former Everton midfielder, agreed that Dowman's reaction to the challenge was poor. Osman said the young player will need to learn how to handle heavy defending. He emphasized that such tackles are common in the lower divisions.

Arsenal now face a thin selection of options for their upcoming match against Liverpool on Sunday. With Dowman suspended and Saka injured, the manager must find cover for the wide areas. The club's under-21 team won their EFL Trophy match the same night against AFC Wimbledon.