A former Premier League referee believes Arsenal are wasting their time fighting Max Dowman’s red card, with Dermot Gallagher telling Sky Sports News the club’s appeal “will fail”.
The 16-year-old was sent off for violent conduct late in the Carabao Cup fourth-round defeat at League Two Fleetwood Town, a night that ended with the holders of the Premier League title going out on penalties.
Arsenal have lodged an appeal and must submit their documents by 1pm on Thursday. The hope inside the club is that the FA rules before Sunday’s trip to Anfield, but the verdict is in the FA’s hands, and Gallagher has already made his call.
What happened with the Max Dowman red card at Fleetwood?
With the tie still level at 1-1, Fleetwood defender Harrison Neal flew into a strong challenge on Max Dowman. The teenager reacted by kicking out at Neal, and the referee showed him a straight red for violent conduct.
Arsenal went on to lose the shootout, completing a miserable night for Mikel Arteta. We covered how Arteta’s nine-change gamble backfired against Fleetwood, and the red card was the moment the evening turned from awkward to ugly.
It is also not the first time this has happened to Dowman this month. According to Sports Mole, he was reportedly shown a red card for a “little kick out” in a behind-closed-doors England Under-19 friendly a few weeks ago.
Gallagher: “You can see the intent”
Asked on Sky Sports News whether Arsenal would win the case, Gallagher did not hedge. He said: “I don’t, because of the aggressiveness of Dowman, and you can see the intent. I think it will fail.”
He also batted away the comparison with Cole Palmer’s flashpoint with Mateus Fernandes last Saturday. Gallagher said: “I think it is [a red card]. People are comparing it to Cole Palmer on Saturday, I think Dowman is a little bit more aggressive. He knows what he’s doing. He almost brings his knee up in a kicking action.”
There was some sympathy for the Gunners, though. Gallagher felt Arsenal should have had a free-kick and Neal a yellow card, saying: “Although Neal gets the ball, he’s too aggressive. It’s a reckless challenge and he’s had little regard to the safety of Dowman.”
Merson’s warning: “He’s going to be kicked”
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson saw it differently. He called Neal’s challenge an “old-fashioned tackle” and thought the reaction of the players swayed the referee, adding: “It’s not that bad. In my opinion, it wasn’t a red card. I don’t think it should have been given.”
His bigger worry was what comes next. Merson said: “He’s going to get that for the whole of his career. He’s going to be kicked. People are going to look at the game now, and they’re going to go, ‘Right, we’ve got to upset him. Try and get inside him. Try and upset him’. And he’s got to be better than that.”
How the Max Dowman red card affects Arsenal at Liverpool
If the ban stands, Dowman serves a three-match suspension, ruling him out of the trip to Liverpool, the home game with Hull City and the visit to Newcastle United. Kick-off at Anfield is 4.30pm on Sunday.
In footballing terms, the immediate loss is modest. Sports Mole notes Dowman has been in Arteta’s last four Premier League squads but has played just 19 minutes in those games, so at best he was heading for the bench at Anfield. Still, with Arteta already sweating on the fitness of Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Riccardo Calafiori, every body counts.
Arteta’s touchline reaction under the microscope
The red card was only half the story on Sky. As Dowman walked past the dugouts, Arteta leaned in and said something to him, and the pundits were not impressed.
Asked what he told the teenager, Arteta would only say: “It was something that we discussed before the game.” On whether Dowman has a lesson to learn, he 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 felt Arteta would not have done the same to Viktor Gyokeres, saying: “If it was me, I’d have put my arm around him. It’s still 1-1, they’re still in the game.” Jobi McAnuff agreed, adding: “Dowman is potentially the future of Arsenal. Arteta didn’t get that quite right.” Former MK Dons boss Karl Robinson took the opposite view of the club’s response, describing the decision to appeal as “genius leadership”.
Will the Max Dowman red card appeal succeed?
Honestly, I’d be surprised. Neal’s tackle was wild, but the rules punish the retaliation, not the provocation, and Gallagher’s point about intent is hard to argue with. The club have to back their player, and appealing sends the right message to a 16-year-old who has just had a very public dressing down.
The bigger job is the one Merson described. Two red cards in a matter of weeks for kicking out will not go unnoticed by opposition defenders, and Dowman’s talent will only get him so far if he keeps biting. Missing Anfield, Hull and Newcastle would sting, but if it teaches him that lesson early, Arsenal can live with it.
