Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has revealed what he said to Max Dowman after the Gunners starlet was sent off against Fleetwood Town on Tuesday night.

Aaron Loupalo-Bi opened the scoring for Fleetwood after only 21 minutes before Viktor Gyokeres got the defending Premier League champions back on level terms on 50 minutes.

The game ended 1-1 in normal time and just before Arsenal exited the Carabao Cup on penalties to the League Two side, Dowman was sent off for violent conduct.

Dowman was adjudged to have kicked out at Harrison Neal after the Fleetwood midfielder’s strong tackle on the Arsenal youngster.

As the 16-year-old exited the pitch and walked past the dugouts, Arteta was seen angrily saying something to Dowman as he went down the tunnel.

When asked what he said to Dowman, Arteta refused to go into detail and replied: “It was something that we discussed before the game.”

When put to him that Dowman’s sending off looked harsh, Arteta said: “I haven’t seen it with the camera. You can’t really see what happens. The decision was made by the referee and that’s it.

“And even with 10 men, we have three big chances to score the second goal.”

On whether Dowman can learn anything from the sending off incident, the Arsenal boss added: “We knew when we prepared the context of the match, we were very clear on the things to expect, the things that emotionally we have to dominate.”

Merson: ‘He does that to a 16-year-old kid?’

Arsenal legend Paul Merson was critical of Arteta’s reaction, he said: “If that’s [Viktor] Gyokeres, who’s an experienced international, he [Arteta] isn’t doing that – but he does that to a 16-year-old kid?

“He’s not the last person to get sent off for Arsenal, nor the first. If it was me, I’d have put my arm around him. It’s still 1-1, they’re still in the game.

“We all say things in life we wish we hadn’t and if he [Arteta] could have that back, he’d do it differently.”

While fellow Sky Sports pundit Jobi McAnuff said: “I can’t understand the reaction. Arteta probably feels it was petulant, naive which I think it is.

“It is frustration from Dowman, but when you see the reaction from Arteta… we have to remember he’s 16.

“Yes, he’s a fantastic talent, but he will make mistakes along the way. I didn’t like the reaction at all.”

McAnuff added: “Dowman is potentially the future of Arsenal. Arteta didn’t get that quite right.”