A lip reader has revealed what Mikel Arteta said to Max Dowman after the 16-year-old was sent off in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup round-of-16 defeat to Fleetwood Town.

Arteta appeared to give Dowman a public dressing down as the teenager trudged off the pitch in the 85th minute, having received a red card for reacting to a heavy challenge from Harrison Neal.

Dowman’s dismissal capped a dismal night for the Gunners, who had 26 shots and 78 per cent possession but lost 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time.

What did Arteta say to Dowman?

Asked what he had said to Dowman, Arteta told reporters: “It was something that we discussed before the game.”

While the Arsenal boss remained tight-lipped, lip-reading expert Nicola Hickling claimed he told the youngster to “get in the changing room now”.

Explaining her interpretation, Hickling said via Covers: “Arteta appears to be speaking clearly, with distinct articulation. His lip and mouth movements are consistent with my interpretation of the words spoken.”

“Arteta is also visibly frowning and leaning slightly forward as he addresses Dowman. His facial expression and body language suggest frustration or annoyance, although his precise emotional state cannot be established from the footage alone.”

Hickling continued: “As with all lipreading, the interpretation is based on visible speech movements. Certain words can appear visually similar, and accuracy depends on factors such as camera angle, image quality, facial visibility and the clarity of articulation.

“In this footage, Dowman appears concerned as he leaves the pitch, rubbing the back of his head before looking up towards Arteta.

“Dowman does not stop to engage in a conversation. Instead, he continues walking following Arteta's apparent instruction to return to the changing room.”

Mikel Arteta hit with backlash after Max Dowman red card

Arteta has received backlash from fans on social media for his reaction to Dowman’s sending off, while former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson urged the Arsenal boss to be mindful of the attacker’s age.

"You have to remember he is 16 years of age - he's a kid," former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson said on Sky Sports.

"He wasn't having the greatest of nights so he's going to get frustrated. He gets the chance every now and then to play for Arsenal.

"He probably feels he should be playing more. He gets the chance tonight, isn't doing too great. It's an old-fashioned tackle.

"If that's Viktor Gyokeres, he [Arteta] isn't doing that. That's what I don't like. If it's an experienced international, I don't think he does that. He's a human being.

"He's not the last person to get sent off for Arsenal and he's not the first."

Arsenal have not won the Carabao Cup for 33 years, with their latest elimination their most damning since they lost to League Two side Bradford City on penalties in 2012.

With Dowman now suspended, and Bukayo Saka, Christos Tzolis and Noni Madueke recovering from injuries, their options in wide areas are highly limited ahead of Sunday’s Premier League encounter with Liverpool.