Mikel Arteta has warned Max Dowman that Premier League football is not like taking a trip to a theme park after the Arsenal teenager was sent off in midweek.
The 16-year-old was shown a red card for kicking out at Fleetwood Town’s Harrison Neal following a hefty challenge in the 85th minute of the League Cup last-16 tie, which the Gunners lost on penalties after drawing 1-1 in normal time.
The incident came just weeks after the youngster was given his marching orders while playing for the England U19’s.
Arteta was criticised widely for his immediate reaction to the red card, berating Dowman as he walked off the pitch, but the Arsenal boss defended himself during Friday’s press conference.
Arteta sends Arsenal teen Dowman warning following red card
“I haven’t seen the reaction to my reaction,” he said ahead of Sunday’s clash with Liverpool. “Whether that’s positive or negative. You need to understand the context, the relationship I have with him and what we discussed before we went out.
“If you see the reaction from my mother and father with me sometimes, you’d say ‘you don’t like that reaction’ but for me it was the best reaction ever as it enabled me to be who I am.
“But you want to see the best and most beautiful reaction. You want to see the reaction of his teammates when they have to play with 10 men.
“What do you expect? That’s the level and that’s the reaction. Whether it’s right or wrong, that’s the reaction. And the reaction when I don’t win, I’m ****** off, big time. This is the environment and the reality.
“We are not in Disneyland, we are in the Premier League. We look after him so much but we are also demanding as he needs to earn the right to play otherwise what are the rest of the boys going to tell me?”
Arteta added that he acted out of “frustration” and in the heat of the moment, and says that there are “no issues at all” between him and Dowman after speaking with him on Thursday.
“It’s something we discussed just before we went out because it’s not the first time it’s happened as it happened earlier this month with England,” he said.
“It will continue to happen with the way he plays and the way he attracts opponents. We have to be protective of him as he is 16 but also very straight with him about what to expect from him towards the team and the club.
“I had a talk with him yesterday. There are no issues at all. I’ve done it. That’s why I’m so protective of these things and young players as we have all made these mistakes.
“We know how much you can get punished. And what happens next. It’s not the first time, so we need to put an end to it very quickly.”
Arsenal’s appeal against Dowman’s sending off and three-match suspension was rejected by an independent commission, meaning he will miss Premier League games against Liverpool, Hull City and Newcastle United.
“Disappointed, especially with the reckless tackles he received. His reaction was minimal related to the action.
“It is what it is. We had a good argument on the table. Not only on the action which is so evident but also the context of the player and his age. [The tackle] could have been really bad. We are lucky he hasn’t got a broken foot.”
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