Arteta says Dowman must meet Arsenal’s standards after red card

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says 16-year-old Max Dowman must meet the same standards as the club’s other first-team players after the teenager was sent off in a Carabao Cup defeat to Fleetwood Town.

Dowman saw red in the 85th minute on Tuesday after reacting to a heavy challenge from Harrison Neal. Arsenal lost the tie on penalties, and Dowman will serve a three-match ban.

Arteta said he had warned the forward before the match about handling provocation. He described his response to Dowman as consistent with their relationship and said they had spoken on Thursday, with “no issues at all” between them.

“We look after him so much that you cannot imagine,” Arteta said. “But at the same time we are going to demand from him, like everybody else, because he needs to earn the right to play.”

Dowman was also sent off for England’s Under-19s earlier this month, in a match against the United States in which he was subjected to heavy challenges. Arteta said the players involved were the same age, and that their reactions had to be judged in that context.

Arsenal appealed against Dowman’s dismissal, but the Football Association upheld the decision. Arteta said he was “very disappointed” and added that the club were “lucky today that he hasn’t had a broken foot”.