‘A very sad day’: Arteta despair as Arsenal stunned by Fleetwood

Mikel Arteta described Arsenal's shocking League Cup defeat by Fleetwood as "a very sad day" after the fourth-tier team's 5-3 penalty win. The Premier League champions were eliminated 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in normal time. Arsenal's Bruno Guimaraes had his penalty saved by Jay Lynch, while Conor Haughey scored the winning goal for Fleetwood.

Aaron Loupalo-Bi opened the scoring for Fleetwood in the first half, and Viktor Gyokeres equalized after halftime. Arsenal's 16-year-old Max Dowman was sent off for violent conduct late in the match. Arteta admitted Arsenal could have no complaints about the players' attitude and application despite conceding a poor goal early on, which gave Fleetwood momentum.

The Gunners boss emphasized that they did not capitalize on their numerous chances, leading to their elimination. Arteta expressed sadness, acknowledging the club's responsibility to represent the badge with pride. Fleetwood's manager, Matt Lawlor, praised his team's defiance against Arsenal's star power and credited their defensive tactics for the win.