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Arteta defends 16-year-old Dowman after red card dismissal, saying he must be treated fairly like other squad players despite his youth.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has defended teenager Ethan Dowman following his dismissal in the Carabao Cup against Fleetwood, insisting the youngster must be held to the same standards as other players in the squad.

Arteta acknowledged the need to protect Dowman given his age, but stressed that players must earn the right to play. "Otherwise, we are in Disneyland. We are not in Disneyland, we are in the Premier League," Arteta said. "We look after him so much that you cannot imagine. But at the same time, we're going to demand from him like anybody else because he needs to earn the right to play."

The manager was critical of the red card decision, describing himself as "very disappointed" with the dismissal and noting that Dowman received "reckless tackles" before his reaction. Dowman will miss Arsenal's trip to Liverpool on Sunday, leaving Arteta short of wide options.