Arsenal lost to Fourth Division side Fleetwood Town in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, making it their first defeat against a fourth division opponent in the League Cup. The match was played away and Aaron Bradley Roopalovi opened the scoring in the 21st minute. Viktor Gökeres scored his first goal in the 50th minute, ending the match at 1-1 and sending it to a penalty shootout. Fourth kicker Bruno Guimarães' shot was stopped by the goalkeeper and Arsenal lost the shootout 3-5. British media outlet Squawka reported that this was Arsenal's second loss as Premier League champions to a fourth-tier team, the first being against Bradford in the 2012-13 season, and both losses were on penalties.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Arteta congratulated Fleetwood on progressing to the next round. He praised the opponent's fighting style and atmosphere, saying, ``The opponent's fighting style and atmosphere were great,'' but felt keenly aware of his team's loss, calling it ``a really sad day.'' ``I can't blame the players. They all performed at the level required of them, but although they stepped up their attack, dominated the ball, and created many chances, they couldn't convert them into goals,'' Arteta said, pointing out the uncertainty in soccer. In particular, he emphasized that when the opponent takes the lead and gains momentum, the difference between winning and losing becomes smaller, saying that the result of the match is ``soccer, and it is the real thrill of competition.''
He also mentioned the red card and sending off of 16-year-old Max Dauman in the 85th minute for retaliating against an opponent's sliding tackle. Arteta said, ``It's difficult to judge based on footage alone. I want to review the situation thoroughly and assess the situation.'' He urged Dauman to reflect, saying, ``I'm sure we can learn from every experience.'' Dauman's sending off may have affected the flow of the game, but the details will be left to the referee's decision.
The defeat was a big shock for Arsenal, but Arteta praised his team's attitude and effort and pointed out areas for improvement for the next game. It will be interesting to see how Arsenal bounce back in the remaining League Cup games. The result of the match is a rare case of a Premier League powerhouse losing to a fourth-division opponent, and will likely cause teams to reconsider their tactics and players' psychological state in future cup matches.