Mikel Arteta has warned Max Dowman that he “is not in Disneyland” and must learn from his red card against Fleetwood after Arsenal’s appeal against his three-match suspension was rejected. The 16-year-old became the youngest player ever to be sent off in the League Cup on Tuesday as the Premier League champions crashed out to the League Two side Fleetwood. Arteta said he was “very disappointed” that the Football Association rejected the appeal against his red card and felt Dowman was lucky not to suffer a broken foot from “reckless tackles”.
But despite describing his reaction as “minimal”, the Arsenal manager revealed he had spoken to Dowman this week to underline his responsibilities after he was also sent off this month playing for England Under 19s. That’s why I’m so protective of these things and especially with young players, because we have made those mistakes. You know how much you can get punished and how much it can change what happens next, and it’s not the first time, so obviously we need to put an end to it very, very quickly,” Arteta said.
Arteta said he had not seen the criticism of his angry reaction to Dowman’s red card, when he appeared to aim a few choice words towards the forward as he headed down the tunnel. But he defended his actions after warning Dowman he was likely to be targeted before the game. You want to see the reaction of his teammates?
When they have to play with 10, you want to see that? That’s the level, and that’s the reaction. But the reaction when I don’t win, you know what the reaction is?
I’m pissed off, big time. This is the environment and this is the reality. Otherwise, we are in Disneyland.
We are not in Disneyland. We are in the Premier League at this level and we look after him so much that you cannot imagine. But at the same time, we’re going to demand [from] him like anybody else because he needs to earn the right to play.” Dowman will be suspended for Sunday’s trip to Liverpool and the games against Hull and Newcastle, while Noni Madueke faces a late test to see if he has recovered from an ankle problem that kept him out of the game against Fleetwood.
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