Arsenal’s appeal against the red card shown to Max Dowman in the midweek defeat to Fleetwood Town has been dismissed by the Football Association (FA).

The Gunners suffered an extremely embarrassing Carabao Cup fourth round exit at the hands of their League Two hosts, with Fleetwood eventually winning on penalties following a 1–1 draw in regulation.

Dowman was sent off for violent conduct in the 85th minute of the tie after kicking out at Harrison Neal. The 16-year-old was angered by a forceful challenge by the Fleetwood midfielder, which went unpunished by referee Michael Salisbury.

In response to Arsenal’s unsuccessful appeal, an FA statement read: “An independent Regulatory Commission has dismissed claims of both wrongful dismissal and excessive punishment for Max Dowman.”

How Many Matches Will Dowman Miss?

Unfortunately for Arsenal, Dowman will now be suspended for the next three matches in domestic competition. The first of those games comes in the Premier League on Sunday, when the reigning champions visit Liverpool.

An almighty test of Arsenal’s credentials is followed by a more palatable away day at Slavia Prague in the Champions League. Dowman will be able to play in the Czech capital as domestic suspensions don’t carry over to UEFA competitions.

However, Dowman will then miss out on Premier League games either side of the November international break at home to Hull City and away at Newcastle United.

The next domestic encounter the teenager will be available for is the critical encounter with title rivals Manchester City on Nov. 29.

The Games Dowman Will Miss for Arsenal

Why Dowman’s Absence Could Prove Costly

Ordinarily, Dowman’s absence wouldn’t concern Mikel Arteta too much. After all, the prodigious youngster remains a bit-part player who rarely features heavily in the Premier League or Champions League.

However, considering the club’s current injury list, Arteta will be deeply frustrated by the timing of Dowman’s three-match suspension.

Arsenal are already without their first-choice right winger Bukayo Saka, who suffered a thigh injury in the recent Champions League clash with Bayern Munich. The Englishman’s return date remains unknown, but he’s reportedly set to miss around two months of action.

To make matters worse, Christos Tzolis is still sidelined on the other wing. The Greek forward sustained a hamstring injury on international duty, with Arteta admitting he would be out for “weeks” in mid-October.

Noni Madueke is also a doubt ahead of the weekend showdown at Anfield having missed the Fleetwood match with an ankle injury. However, he’s expected to recover in time.