Arsenal suffered one of the biggest upsets in Carabao Cup history on Tuesday night, losing 5-3 on penalties to League Two side Fleetwood Town after a 1-1 draw at Highbury.

The Gunners finished the game with 10 men. With five minutes of normal time left, Max Dowman was sent off after appearing to kick out at a Fleetwood player who had tackled him hard, and Mikel Arteta was seen having a stern word with the 16-year-old as he left the pitch.

The decision has sparked plenty of debate among fans on social media.

Arsenal fans react to Max Dowman’s red card

Many Arsenal supporters felt the referee punished the wrong player. “Bigger case that the red should have gone to the guy who made that challenge on Max,” one fan wrote on X.

Another agreed: “Diabolical challenge that’s a proper leg breaker with the follow through and then Fleetwood want to rush a child for standing up for himself? Shocking ref decision. Well done for sticking up for yourself Max – head up son.”

Others accepted that Dowman shouldn’t have reacted, but still felt a red card was too harsh. “Dowman is going to have to get used to those kinds of ‘challenges’ during his career, and he shouldn’t have reacted, but those red cards are a huge flaw in the English game,” wrote one supporter. “Use your brain, book both players and get on with things. Totally ridiculous to send him off for that.”

Some pointed to inconsistency, too. Chelsea’s Cole Palmer was only booked for a similar offence on Mateus Fernandes in the win over Tottenham at the weekend, which prompted one fan to write: “What Dowman just did was far less than what Cole Palmer did.”

It wasn’t just fans who felt that way. CBS Sports journalist James Benge wrote: “I dunno man, I think referees should probably be sanctioning the dangerous, out of control tackle as much – if not more – than they should the petulant but unimpactful swing out in response.”

Before the red card, Dowman had been one of Arsenal’s best players, causing problems down the right all night. Now he could face a three-match domestic ban, which would rule him out of Sunday’s trip to Liverpool, just as Bukayo Saka’s injury had opened the door for him.