There’s no hiding from it: losing to Fleetwood Town on Tuesday night was embarrassing.

Arsenal are the Premier League champions and reached last season’s Champions League final, and even with a rotated side, they had plenty of internationals on the pitch at Highbury. The League Two side were deserved winners on penalties after a 1-1 draw, in one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history.

But once the dust settles, it’s hard to escape the feeling that the club might be better off out of this competition.

Why going out of the Carabao Cup could help Arsenal

The obvious benefit is the congested schedule they now avoid. Had Arsenal gone through, they would have faced a quarter-final crammed into December and then a two-legged semi-final in the new year. Instead, they’ll now get a full week of rest before Manchester United at home and Hull City away, as well as between their trip to Manchester City and hosting Liverpool. There’s also no risk of having to rearrange the home game against Sunderland, who could be involved in Europa League action.

Arsenal know how costly a long run in this competition can be. The semi-final against Chelsea last season took a real physical toll, and they drew and then lost their next two league games after the first leg.

When you consider where the squad is right now, it all may prove to be a blessing in disguise, embarrassing as the defeat is. Bukayo Saka is out for at least six weeks, Christos Tzolis is still sidelined, and Arteta revealed after the game that Noni Madueke, Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori all have problems. Arsenal’s attack is stretched thin, and away cup ties against lower-league sides, with mix-and-match line-ups that rarely gel, were always going to be risky.

Nobody is going to judge Arteta’s Arsenal on whether they win the League Cup at the end of the season. They’ll be judged on the title race, where they’re level on points with City at the top, and on whether they can go one better in Europe after losing last season’s final on penalties.

That’s where the focus should be until January. Arsenal then need to recruit properly in attack, with signings who actually raise the level rather than more of the same. If they get that right, this early exit could help them retain the title for the first time since 1935 and finally get their hands on the Champions League.

That push starts at Anfield on Sunday.