Arsenal will challenge the red card shown to Max Dowman during Tuesday's Carabao Cup fourth-round defeat to Fleetwood Town, football.london understands. The 16-year-old was sent off for violent conduct, a decision that carries a mandatory three-match suspension across domestic competitions.
Dowman reacted angrily to a heavy challenge and lunged toward Fleetwood's Harrison Neal, thrusting his thigh into the midfielder's torso without fully lashing out. Referee Michael Salisbury judged the incident worthy of a dismissal in front of the assistant referee at Highbury Stadium. As Dowman left the pitch, Mikel Arteta gave him a withering glare before speaking to him and waving him away.
Pending the outcome of the appeal, Dowman faces missing three Premier League fixtures: the trip to Liverpool on Sunday, November 1, the home game against Hull City on Saturday, November 7, and the away match at Newcastle United on Saturday, November 21. Those games sandwich a Champions League trip to Prague, where Dowman would remain available since domestic red cards do not apply in European competition.
Arsenal must submit the necessary paperwork to the Football Association by 1pm local time on Thursday to begin the appeals process. The FA defines violent conduct as a player using or attempting to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball. Senior figures at the Emirates Stadium are understood to want the matter resolved before Sunday's game against Liverpool.
Asked about the red card after Arsenal's Carabao Cup exit on penalties, Arteta said: "I haven't seen it back, and with the camera you can't really see what happens. The decision was made by the referee, and that's it. Even with 10 men, we had three big chances to score."
Dowman has now been sent off twice this month, having also received a red card while playing for England Under-19s during the last international break. Asked whether the teenager was being targeted, Arteta said: "We know when we prepare the context of the match, we're very clear on what to expect. Emotionally, we have to dominate, but we're very clear." On what he said to Dowman as he walked off the pitch, Arteta added: "It's something that we discussed before the game."
Reflecting more broadly on the defeat, Arteta said: "First of all, congratulations to Fleetwood. In the manner they did it, the atmosphere they created. I have nothing to fault the players for their attitude and intensity throughout the game, with 11 and with 10, but when you are playing in that superior way, you have to give nothing to the opponent. When we create the volume of shots and chances we did, you have to score three, four or five. You capitalise on it. If you don't, there are no margins, and that's the reality."
He continued: "Then you have to wait and get through the round on penalties, and we didn't do that. The probability was low with the way the game was panning out, but it's football and still with low probability, there is always a chance you could be out of the cup."
The appeal comes as Arsenal also deal with fresh injury concerns ahead of the Liverpool match, with Riccardo Calafiori, Noni Madueke and Declan Rice all having been doubtful earlier in the week, according to Arteta.
