Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has defended his reaction to Max Dowman’s sending-off against Fleetwood Town and expressed confidence that his side can end their long wait for a victory at Anfield.
The Gunners suffered a shock Carabao Cup exit on Tuesday, with Dowman’s red card attracting criticism of Arteta’s apparent frustration towards the 16-year-old.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Premier League encounter with Liverpool, Arteta revealed that he had discussed a similar disciplinary incident with Dowman before the Fleetwood match.
“We had another conversation earlier about what happened when he played with England and the same incident happened,” Arteta explained to Sky Sports.
The Spaniard insisted that his response was intended to help the youngster develop rather than undermine his confidence.
He also rejected suggestions that Dowman should be treated identically to more experienced players, stressing that every footballer requires a different approach.
Arteta believes honesty and support are essential to the teenager’s development, particularly as he learns to manage difficult situations.
The Arsenal manager acknowledged that Dowman could face similar provocation in future matches but challenged him to respond with greater emotional control.
Arsenal have since lost their appeal against the dismissal, leaving the youngster suspended for three domestic matches.
Despite the disappointment at Fleetwood, Arteta maintained that his players had created enough opportunities to win comfortably.
He nevertheless accepted that Arsenal must improve their ability to influence matches when performances do not translate into victories.
Arteta also addressed questions about Arsenal’s attacking output, defending the team’s reliance on goals from different positions rather than individual strikers.
He believes having numerous goalscoring threats makes Arsenal less predictable, although he expects greater contributions from his forwards.
The Spaniard reserved particular praise for summer signing Ezri Konsa, highlighting his leadership and developing partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes.
Arteta revealed that the defenders have established a strong relationship away from the pitch, which he believes has contributed to their understanding.
Attention now turns to Liverpool, where Arsenal have not won a Premier League match since September 2012.
Arteta acknowledged Liverpool’s title credentials but insisted that his side would travel to Merseyside expecting victory.
“I’m fully convinced as well that we’re going to go there on Sunday and win the game,” he declared.
He also believes Arsenal possess the mentality required to defend their Premier League title despite injuries and an increasingly competitive division.
With Bukayo Saka unavailable and Dowman suspended, Arteta faces difficult selection decisions.
However, he remains convinced that Arsenal have sufficient resources to overcome those setbacks and secure a long-awaited victory at Anfield.