Arteta warns Dowman 'we are not in Disneyland' after red card

What the report says

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has defended his strong reaction to Max Dowman’s red card and said he will keep the 16-year-old to the same standards as the rest of the first-team squad. Dowman was sent off late in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out defeat to Fleetwood Town after reacting to a challenge, and is set to miss three matches. BBC Sport reported that Arteta spoke to the teenager after the incident and later said there were no problems between them.

Arteta said he had already warned Dowman before the game about handling provocation, and argued that the episode reflects the demands of senior football rather than anything unusual. He said the club protects the youngster but also expects him to earn his place, because fairness matters to the other players. In comments reported by BBC Sport, he also linked the incident to Dowman’s earlier red card while playing for England Under-19s.

The manager said Arsenal were disappointed that an appeal against the dismissal was rejected by the Football Association. He also suggested the challenge had put Dowman at risk of serious injury. The wider significance is that Arsenal are trying to balance the development of a highly rated teenager with the discipline and standards required in a competitive first-team environment.