Arsenal have suffered another setback following their shock Carabao Cup exit, with the Football Association rejecting their appeal against Max Dowman’s red card in the defeat to Fleetwood Town.
The decision means the 16-year-old midfielder will serve a three-match suspension after an independent regulatory commission dismissed Arsenal’s claims of wrongful dismissal and excessive punishment.
Dowman was sent off in the 85th minute of Tuesday’s encounter after kicking out at Harrison Neal following a heavy challenge. Arsenal eventually crashed out of the competition on penalties after the tie finished 1-1, turning an already disappointing night into an even more frustrating one for Mikel Arteta’s side.
The Gunners had hoped to overturn the dismissal, arguing that the punishment handed to their teenage player was unjustified. However, their efforts proved unsuccessful after the FA confirmed the commission’s decision on Thursday.
A statement from The FA Spokesperson was issued on X on Thursday:
“An independent Regulatory Commission has dismissed claims of both wrongful dismissal and excessive punishment for Max Dowman.
“The Arsenal player was sent off during their EFL Cup game against Fleetwood Town on Tuesday 27 October and will be suspended for three matches.”
The governing body also confirmed that the written reasons behind the commission’s decision would be published in due course.
Dowman’s suspension is a significant blow for Arsenal, who will now be without the youngster for their next three Premier League fixtures against Liverpool, Hull City and Newcastle.
The teenager will, however, remain available for Arsenal’s Champions League meeting with Slavia Prague on November 4, as the domestic suspension does not extend to European competition. He is also expected to be eligible again for the Premier League clash against Manchester City on November 29.
The dismissal has attracted attention because of Dowman’s age and the circumstances surrounding the incident. While the initial challenge from Neal was described as bruising, the commission has now upheld the referee’s decision to show the Arsenal youngster a straight red card.
Arteta had admitted after the match that he was yet to speak with Dowman about the incident. However, the Arsenal manager made it clear that his players had been warned about maintaining their discipline and controlling their emotions before the contest.
“When we prepared the context of the match, we were very clear on the things to respect, the things that emotionally we have to dominate, it was very clear.”
With the appeal now rejected, Arsenal must accept the suspension and move forward without one of their promising young players for three important domestic fixtures. The decision also leaves Dowman with a difficult lesson to take from a night that ended in disappointment for the Gunners.
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