Mikel Arteta swerves question on Max Dowman red card but Arsenal manager's death stare said it all

Arsenal crashed out of the FA Cup to League Two Fleetwood Town on penalties after a 1-1 draw, with young defender Max Dowman sent off late on.

Arsenal suffered a shock FA Cup exit at the hands of League Two Fleetwood Town, losing 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Aaron Loupalo-Bi gave Fleetwood the lead early on, rolling young Arsenal defender Marli Salmon before finishing. Viktor Gyokeres equalised in the second half with a scrappy finish, but Arsenal could not find a winner despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances.

The turning point came when 16-year-old Max Dowman was sent off for a kick out following a crunching challenge by Harrison Neal. Manager Mikel Arteta was seen making an intense stare at Dowman as he trudged off the pitch, though he declined to discuss the incident in detail. "It's difficult to see on the cameras like that, I prefer to watch it back properly so I can assess the situation," Arteta said.

Fleetwood held their nerve in the shootout, with goalkeeper Jay Lynch saving Bruno Guimaraes' penalty before Conor Haughey fired in the decisive spot-kick. It marks the most famous result in Fleetwood's 118-year history. Manager Matt Lawlor praised his players' passion and composure, noting they had not practised penalties beforehand.