According to a report by Vanguard on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Arsenal were eliminated from the Carabao Cup following a shocking defeat against Fleetwood Town, with the League Two club securing a 5-3 penalty shootout victory after both teams played out a 1-1 draw in normal time.

The fourth-round encounter at Highbury Stadium produced one of the biggest surprises of the competition, as Mikel Arteta's men failed to overcome opponents competing three divisions below them.

Arsenal entered the fixture hoping to secure qualification for the quarter-finals, but their ambitions were frustrated by a determined Fleetwood side that refused to be intimidated by the Premier League champions.

The match began with an unusual incident when play was temporarily suspended because of a drone flying above the stadium. Following the interruption, both teams resumed their efforts to establish control of the encounter.

Fleetwood eventually broke the deadlock in the 21st minute through Aaron Loupalo-Bi, who capitalised on Arsenal's defensive weakness to put the hosts ahead.

The opening goal placed Arsenal under considerable pressure, particularly as Arteta had selected a heavily rotated starting lineup featuring several young players.

Despite enjoying spells of possession, the visitors struggled to create enough clear opportunities to restore parity before the interval.

Arsenal returned for the second half with greater attacking urgency, and their improvement produced an equaliser in the 50th minute.

Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres found the net to make the score 1-1, giving Arsenal renewed confidence that they could complete a comeback.

Arteta subsequently introduced experienced players, including Martin Odegaard, Ben White and Eberechi Eze, as he attempted to strengthen his team's performance.

However, Fleetwood continued defending resolutely, with goalkeeper Jay Lynch making important saves to prevent Arsenal from taking the lead.

The situation became even more difficult for the visitors in the 85th minute when teenage midfielder Max Dowman received a red card following an altercation with opposition players.

With neither team able to score another goal, the contest proceeded to a penalty shootout.

Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Gyokeres successfully converted Arsenal's first three penalties, but Bruno Guimaraes failed to score after Lynch saved his effort.

Fleetwood demonstrated remarkable composure by converting all five of their penalties, with Conor Haughey scoring the decisive kick to confirm their qualification.

The victory sparked celebrations among Fleetwood supporters, while Arsenal were left disappointed after another opportunity to compete for domestic silverware disappeared.

For Arteta, the unexpected elimination raises concerns about his team's ability to deliver convincing performances when key first-team players are rested.

Arsenal must now shift their attention towards their upcoming Premier League meeting with Liverpool on Sunday, November 1.

Meanwhile, Fleetwood Town will advance to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals following an unforgettable victory over one of English football's strongest clubs.

The final result was Fleetwood Town 1-1 Arsenal, with Fleetwood winning 5-3 on penalties.