Mikel Arteta speaks to Max Dowman after he is sent off against Fleetwood
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has warned teenager Max Dowman 'we are not in Disneyland'.
The Gunners boss was seen berating his 16-year-old winger for getting sent off in a shock defeat to fourth-tier Fleetwood Town in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
Max Dowman berated by Mikel Arteta3
Arteta made his feelings about Dowman's red card abundantly clear in the moment
Dowman kicked out after finding himself on the receiving end of a strong challenge and copped an earful from his manager.
Arteta's treatment of Dowman has split opinion - but the Spaniard doubled down in a press conference on Friday.
“I haven't seen the reaction to my reaction, whether it is positive or negative. But you need to understand the context and the relationship that I have with him and what we discussed just before we went out.
"But, I don't know. You can have another reaction. If you see the reaction of my father and my mother with me some days you might say ‘I don’t like the reaction’. For me it was the best reaction to be who I am.
Most read in Football
Premier League hero's nephew linked with top-flight transfer after goalscoring heroicsIs Fofana the worst-ever BlueCo signing at Chelsea? Ranking the top six dudsChelsea are get-out-of-jail-free card for under-fire managers ahead of Carrick visitSir Patrick Stewart's death to be marked with minute's applause before EFL match
"If you want the best reaction and the beautiful one... you want to see his team-mates when they have to play with 10? You want to see that? What do you expect?"
Dowman was also sent off playing for England's Under-19s in a behind-closed-doors friendly against the USA on October 4.
Arteta alluded to that as he added: "And the England one? They are his age. They are 16 - the same. What is the reaction? That is the level and that is the reaction.
"Whether it is right or wrong, that is the reaction. And the reaction when I don't win, you want to know what my reaction is? I am [expletive] off big time.
"So, we need to be ready for that. This is the environment and this is the reality, otherwise we are in Disneyland. We are not in Disneyland, we are in the Premier League and this is the level.
"We look after him so much that you cannot imagine. But at the same time we are going to demand from him like everybody else because he needs to earn the right to play.
Harrison Neal tackles Max Dowman3
The challenge that sparked Dowman's reaction went unpunished by the referee
"Because the other boys, what are they going to say to me? You need to be fair."
Dowman appeal rejected
Arsenal appealed to The FA against the decision to send off Dowman, citing wrongful dismissal and excessive punishment.
The appeal was rejected by an independent Regulatory Commission.
Some have since argued Dowman was the victim of a dangerous challenge which went unpunished.
When asked about the failed appeal, Arteta added: "Very disappointed to be fair, especially with the reckless tackles he received. His reaction is minimum in relation to the action. I'm disappointed that it has not been overturned.
"It is what it is. We have put every argument on the table to make a case for it. The action is so evident.
Max Dowman warms up ahead of Arsenal's Carabao Cup tie against Fleetwood Town3
Arsenal fans expected to see more of Dowman so far this season
"Obviously we have a very different opinion and on top of that I think you have to read the context of the player, the age and what happened previously.
"It could have been really bad. We are lucky today that he hasn't had a broken foot, that is clear."
Too risky to play Dowman?
Arteta was also asked whether it is too risky to play Dowman in such high-intensity, physical matches.
"It is what it is," the Gunners boss added.
"I think we discussed that when he made his debut in pre-season against Newcastle - it was a very physical game.
"If a play that weighs 95kg/100kg comes in at 35kph into Max and hits a bone, I don't know what happens.
"When we talk about protecting him, when you ask me why he's not playing every week when he's done really well against Everton - we need to put some perspective into every context into the player that we have which is tremendous and leave it there and let him grow and protect him, all of us."
Topics