Arteta explains his reaction to Dowman's red card

Arsenal were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by League Two side Fleetwood Town. At a critical stage of the match, 16-year-old Max Dowman was shown a red card for alleged violent conduct after striking Fleetwood defender Harrison Neal. The two players had several tussles, followed by a brief scuffle.

As Dowman headed to the dressing room, Arteta was seen bending down and saying something to the teenager. Paul Merson criticised the gesture, arguing that the manager should have put an arm around him instead.

When asked what he had said to the young player, Arteta said they had spoken before the match. He avoided giving details. When Sky Sports pundit Andy Hinchcliffe said the red card was harsh on Dowman, Arteta said he had not seen the incident clearly on camera, that the decision was the referee's, and that even with ten men they had created three big scoring chances.

Asked whether the teenager should learn a lesson from the incident, Arteta replied that they had clarified matters that needed to be managed emotionally before the match. Jobi McAnuff said he struggled to understand the reaction and believed Arteta had not been pleased with the situation.