Max Dowman becomes youngest player sent off in Carabao Cup

Max Dowman was shown a red card for Arsenal after a late foul on Fleetwood Town’s Harrison Neal in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round tie, becoming the youngest player ever dismissed in the competition. The 16-year-old’s dismissal followed what match reports described as a forceful charge that officials judged to warrant a straight red.

The forward’s reckless foul on Harrison Neal occurred late in the fourth-round match and led to Dowman being sent from the field; a social media record posted during the game listed his age as 16 years and 300 days. The dismissal established a new youngest-sent-off mark in Carabao Cup/League Cup history, and the red card was shown before play concluded.

Arsenal were eliminated after the tie was decided by penalties, with Fleetwood Town prevailing in the shootout. The result produced an unexpected exit for Arsenal from the Carabao Cup at this stage and ended their involvement in the competition for the current campaign.

The incident drew an immediate reaction from the Arsenal bench: manager Arteta did not appear pleased as Dowman passed the dugout on his way off, and the manager later provided a brief account of his conversation with the teenager. As Dowman made his way down the tunnel he was briefly approached by Arteta, who seemed to be reprimanding him.

Dowman’s sending-off was noted alongside other young dismissals at senior level: Wayne Rooney was 17 when he was sent off in a Premier League game against Birmingham, and Myles Lewis-Skelly was 18 when shown a red card in a Premier League match while playing for Arsenal. The incident leaves Dowman among a small group of very young players to have received straight red cards in high-profile English competitions.

Arsenal have appealed to have the red card rescinded; if the club’s appeal is denied, Max Dowman may be suspended for three domestic games.