Arsenal have suffered a stunning Carabao Cup upset after being eliminated by League Two side Fleetwood Town in a dramatic penalty shootout at Highbury Stadium.

The Premier League champions were widely expected to make comfortable progress against their lower-league opponents, but Fleetwood produced a fearless performance to shock the Gunners and send their supporters into wild celebrations.

The match was already unusual before the real drama began. Just minutes after kick-off, play was temporarily stopped after an unauthorised drone was spotted flying above the stadium. The interruption lasted several minutes before the players were allowed to continue.

Fleetwood showed from the restart that they were not prepared to be intimidated by Arsenal's reputation. The home side played with determination and made life difficult for Mikel Arteta's much-changed team.

The League Two outfit then stunned the visitors by taking the lead through Aaron Loupalo-Bi. The forward showed impressive strength to get beyond Arsenal's young defender before calmly finishing past goalkeeper Islan Meslier, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

Arsenal, however, refused to accept defeat quietly. The Gunners eventually found a way back into the contest and levelled the score, setting up a tense finish.

Despite Arsenal's greater experience and quality, Fleetwood continued to defend bravely. The home side had already defeated Chesterfield, Shrewsbury Town and Championship side Sheffield United on their remarkable cup run without conceding a goal before facing Arsenal.

With the scores level after normal time, the tie went to penalties.

What followed was a nightmare for Arsenal and a night that Fleetwood supporters will remember for years. The League Two side held their nerve from the spot, winning the shootout 5-3 and completing one of the biggest shocks of the competition.

For Arsenal, the defeat will be particularly painful. The club entered the match as overwhelming favourites and had made several changes to the team ahead of Sunday's important Premier League trip to Liverpool. However, Arteta had warned before the game that his players needed to respect their opponents and maintain the right attitude.

Fleetwood, meanwhile, can now celebrate a historic victory. Their reward for defeating Arsenal is a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, while the Gunners are left to wonder how a match they were expected to win comfortably slipped away.

Cup football is famous for producing unexpected moments, but this result ranks among the most remarkable of the season. Fleetwood have shown that determination, discipline and belief can sometimes overcome the difference in resources and reputation.

For Arsenal, it is a night to forget. For Fleetwood, it is a night that could become part of the club's history forever.

Source: The Telegraph Uk.