Mikel Arteta remains tight-lipped on Max Dowman reaction after 16-year-old’s red card

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta refused to provide further explanation to his angry reaction to Max Dowman’s red card in the Carabao Cup defeat to Fleetwood Town.

But Arteta revealed what he said to Dowman as he walked off the pitch was to do with “something we discussed already before the match”.

Arteta appeared to have harsh words for the the 16-year-old Arsenal forward following the first red card of his senior career, which came as the Gunners lost on penalties.

Dowman was making his second start of the season for Arsenal after his stunning two-goal display against Ipswich in the previous round of the competition.

But Fleetwood made Arsenal’s night a frustrating one and the League Two side were hanging on for penalties when Dowman was sent off in the 85th minute.

The teeanger was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from behind from the Fleetwood midfielder Harrison Neal, who lunged at him near the touchline.

Dowman kicked out at Neal in response to his tackle, sparking a brawl between the teams as the Fleetwood players reacted angrily to the youngster’s retaliation.

The referee Michael Salisbury, who did not have VAR available, showed Dowman a straight-red card for violent conduct, leaving Arsenal down to 10 men.

And there looked to be an furious reaction from Arteta towards Dowman as he walked off the pitch and went straight down the tunnel.

The incident took place on the opposite side of the pitch to Arteta’s dugout but the manager appeared to have sharp words for Dowman as he left the pitch.

Arteta said he still had to watch the incident back before commenting on it, but it was notable that he had no comforting words of support for the forward.

“It’s difficult to see on the cameras like that so I’d prefer to watch it back properly so I can assess the situation,” he told Sky Sports.

Asked if the 16-year-old can learn from the red card because of his young age, Arteta replied: “Yeah, we all learn from everything, yeah.”

Then asked what he said to Dowman when he left the pitch, Arteta told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Something that we discussed already before the match.”

Dowman will now be suspended for Arsenal’s next three Premier League games, starting with Sunday’s trip to Liverpool.

It comes as Arteta is expected to be without his first-choice right winger, Bukayo Saka, due to injury for the next few weeks.

And Arteta also revealed that his second-choice right winger Noni Madueke could be unavailable against Liverpool due to injury.

It suggests Dowman could have been in line to start for Arsenal at Liverpool prior to his sending off at Fleetwood.