Arsenal lost to fourth-division club Fleetwood Town in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, resulting in them dropping out of the Premier League stage. The match was held at Fleetwood's home on the 27th, and in the 21st minute of the first half, opposing forward Aaron Luparobi scored a goal, giving the team a 1-0 lead. Arsenal equalized in the 5th minute of the second half with a goal from Viktor Gökeres, but Max Dauman received a red card in the 41st minute, sending the score to penalties at 1-1. They lost 3-5 in penalty kicks and were eliminated in the fourth round.
Manager Arteta described the defeat as "very disappointing", but said there was no room for criticism of the players' attitude and efforts. He expressed his regrets, saying, ``We obviously conceded a bad goal and gave our opponent confidence,'' and stressed that ``we have to accept reality'' for the next game. Arteta did not forget to apologize to the fans, saying he regretted the defeat and said he needed to change his mind ahead of the next game at Anfield.
After the match, Arteta congratulated Fleetwood on progressing to the next round and acknowledged the fourth-tier club's ability. He praised his opponent's victory, saying, ``There is nothing to criticize about the players' attitude and determination.'' Despite feeling the sting of defeat, Arsenal will next take on Liverpool in Round 9 of the Premier League. The match will take place at Anfield, with Arsenal aiming to deliver a victory against Liverpool.
The Carabao Cup 2026-27 special feature will feature match highlights and player interviews, and fans will be able to check out the match in the "Gekisaka" short video. Arsenal have indicated that they will use this defeat as inspiration to make a comeback in the next match. In preparation for the next game, the manager and players plan to review the points they learned from the game, review their tactics, and play with gratitude and apologies to the fans in their hearts.