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Mikel Arteta spoke to Max Dowman as he was sent off(Image: Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta was spotted telling Max Dowman to "get in the changing room," after he was sent off during Arsenal's loss to Fleetwood Town in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening.
The teenage sensation largely held his own against the League Two outfit, having been selected to start for the encounter at Highbury.
However, with just four minutes left to play, and with the game deadlocked at 1-1, Dowman found himself shown an early exit as a result of kicking out at Harrison Neal.
The attacking-midfielder's leg was trapped by the Fleetwood defender, as Neal lunged in and hooked the ball over the byline for a throw in.
That ruffled the feathers of Dowman, who immediately nudged Neal with his leg, as a skirmish quickly broke out between players from both sides in response.
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Michael Salisbury was quick to reach for his red card in the aftermath, reducing Arsenal to 10 men for the closing stages of the fixture while Dowman made his way for the tunnel.
As he walked past head coach, Arteta, the Spaniard was spotted saying something to the 16-year-old.
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Lipreading expert, Nicola Hickling, in partnership with Covers.com, has revealed what she believes was said to Dowman by Arteta as he walked off the pitch.
The expert claims that Arteta told the player: "Get in the changing room, Max," seemingly frustrated by his early exit.
It comes as Arsenal were ultimately omitted from the Carabao Cup on the night, losing on penalties in cruel fashion.
Aaron Loupalo-Bi opened the scoring for the hosts just 21 minutes into the match, the Fulham loanee shirking Marli Salmon before slotting home past a rushing Illan Meslier.
Viktor Gyokeres was on hand to restore parity five minutes into the second-half, however, latching onto Ceadach O'Neill's cross from the left with a scrappy and bumbling finish past Jay Lynch.
Max Dowman was sent off against Fleetwood Town(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
As a result of both sides remaining level at full-time, a tense penalty shootout ensued to decide the winner of the fourth-round tie.
With Ronan Coughlan, Neal, Will Davies and Andy Cannon all converting from the spot, Arsenal needed to remain cool and composed to advance to the next round.
Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Gyokeres held up their side of the deal, but Bruno Guimaraes failed to hold his nerve against Lynch, the keeper equal to the Brazilian's attempt in the bottom right corner.
Conor Haughey then showed an ice in the veins mentality as he made it 5-3 on penalties, sending Arsenal spiralling out of the competition in shock fashion.