Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said the club were “very disappointed” after an independent panel rejected the appeal of 16‑year‑old Max Dowman’s red card in the Carabao Cup clash with Fleetwood Town. The teenager will miss his next three league matches, a punishment that Arteta described as a necessary reality for a player still learning the demands of top‑level football.
Dowman was sent off during the penalty shootout defeat on Tuesday after reacting to a hard challenge from Fleetwood’s Harrison Neal. In addition to the suspension, the young forward has already received a second red card earlier in the month while representing England at under‑19 level. Arteta defended the decision, saying the appeal had been “very disappointing” because the club had presented “every argument on the table” and had highlighted the context of a 16‑year‑old facing a 95‑kilogram opponent at high speed. He added that the appeal had not been overturned despite the slow‑motion footage showing the player’s reaction was minimal compared with the initial tackle.
The manager also addressed criticism of his emotional reaction as Dowman left the field. Arteta noted that the two had discussed the possibility of provocation before the match and that he had tried to protect the youngster from the physicality of the Premier League. “We are not in Disneyland,” he said, warning that the environment is harsh and that every player, regardless of age, must earn his place on the pitch. He emphasized that while the club will look after Dowman, they will also demand the same standards from him as from any other squad member.
Dowman, who has made 18 senior appearances for Arsenal, has already broken several records in that time, becoming the youngest player to win a Premier League match, the youngest Premier League goalscorer and the youngest player in the Champions League. He earned official Guinness World Records certificates earlier this month. Arteta brought the teenager into the first‑team set‑up last summer during a training stint in Singapore, where Dowman first appeared against Newcastle.
Looking ahead, Arsenal will travel to Liverpool for their next Premier League fixture. Arteta confirmed that Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori and Christos Tzolis have returned to training, while Noni Madueke remains a doubt and Bukayo Saka could be sidelined until after the international break due to a quad injury. The club will now have to manage the suspension of Dowman while continuing to prepare for the upcoming match.