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Mikel Arteta talked about a major flashpoint in the penalty shootout defeat for Arsenal.
The Gunners were knocked out of the Carabao Cup 5-3 on penalties by League Two opposition in Fleetwood Town on Tuesday evening.
Aaron Loupalo-Bi broke the deadlock when he got the better of Marli Salmon in a duel, then Viktor Gyokeres responded by bundling the ball into the net.
Martin Ødegaard offered a more constant source of creativity when he was introduced at the start of the second half, but chances kept passing by the visitors — and no one more so than Kai Havertz.
The match was moving to a stalemate at the 90th minute when Max Dowman was unceremoniously challenged from behind. The teenager lunged back at his marker, receiving a red card for his action.
It is the sort of situation that Bukayo Saka became all too accustomed to handling as a right winger as his prominence grew in the Premier League, and the 16-year-old should be wary of such treatment in the future.
So, even if the dismissal was harsh, it is the kind of moment he must learn from quickly.
The manager gave the impression he expected more of the teenager, looking irritated when Dowman came off the pitch. But the words exchanged between the pair will remain unspoken to the media.