Arteta Defends Stern Reaction to Teenager’s Red Card in Cup Upset
Arsenal crashed out of the Carabao Cup on October 27, drawing 1-1 with League Two’s Fleetwood Town before losing 5-3 on penalties, after Dowman was sent off late for kicking out at Harrison Neal following a heavy challenge. Arteta voiced disappointment over the teen’s reaction, noting it could have caused serious injury like a broken foot, though he confirmed a positive talk with Dowman and no hard feelings. Pundits like Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher debated the incident’s severity and the three-match ban, while Arteta emphasized holding young players to Premier League standards ahead of the Liverpool trip.
“This is the environment, this is the reality. We are not in Disneyland, we are in the Premier League,” Arteta said in the pre-match press conference.
“We look after him so much, but at the same time we’re going to be demanding because he needs to earn the right to play, just like everybody else, because the other boys, what are they going to say? You need to be fair… and when we don’t win, I am [expletive] off.”
The Arsenal manager also confirmed that he had spoken to Dowman following the incident and insisted that there was no issue between the two.
“Yes, for sure. I had a talk with him yesterday; it’s just a talk. I’ve done it – so that’s why I’m so protective of these things, especially with young players, because we have made these mistakes. We know how much you can get punished, and how much it can change what happens next. It’s not the first time, so we need to put an end to it very quickly,” he said.
Dowman will miss Arsenal’s next three matches after the club lost its appeal against the red card. The setback comes as the youngster continues his development in the senior setup, with Arteta backing his talent and ability to learn from the experience.
