Arsenal eliminated from League Cup by Fleetwood Town on penalties; Arteta's stern look at Dowman

Arsenal crashed out of the League Cup to Fleetwood Town on penalties after a 1-1 draw; 16-year-old Dowman was sent off late on.

Fleetwood Town pulled off a major upset on Tuesday evening, eliminating Arsenal from the League Cup after extra time. The match ended 1-1, with Fleetwood winning the subsequent penalty shootout 5-3. Arsenal's Max Dowman, 16, was shown a red card late in the match following a hard challenge. As the teenager walked toward the tunnel, manager Mikel Arteta gave him a stern look and spoke to him directly.

Arteta later explained the moment to Sky Sports: "It was something we had already discussed before the match. During our preparation we knew what we were facing. We were very clear about what we could expect and which emotions we needed to keep under control."

Arteta praised Fleetwood's performance but expressed frustration at his team's wastefulness in front of goal. "It's a very sad day for us," he said. "It wasn't about our attitude, otherwise I'd be sitting here angry. I'm sad, we're all sad. We had so much possession, created so many chances and had so many shots. If you want to avoid penalties, you have to take those chances. We didn't, and that's what football is about."

One of the match's strangest moments came early on when a drone circled above Highbury stadium, forcing the referee to halt play. The match resumed after eight minutes once authorities had located the drone operator.