Mikel Arteta has defended his reaction to Max Dowman after the teenager was sent off for the first time in his Arsenal career, insisting the moment has to be viewed in context. The manager, who appeared visibly angry as Dowman walked off, said his warning reflected standards set before the match rather than a lack of support for the 16-year-old.

Arteta admitted the optics were open to criticism, but he was clear that his response was tied to the demands of the occasion. “I haven’t seen the reaction to my reaction,” Arteta confessed ahead of Arsenal’s marquee weekend clash with Liverpool. “Whether that’s positive or negative. I understand, but you need to understand the context, the relationship I have with him and what we discussed just before we went out.

“If you see the reaction of my mother and father with me sometimes, you’d say ‘I don’t like that reaction,’ but for me it was the best reaction ever, to be able to be who I am. But you want, obviously, the best and most beautiful one. You want to see the reaction of his teammates when they have to play with 10 men?

“That’s the reaction, that’s the level,” Arteta added. “Whether it’s right or wrong, that’s the reaction. And the reaction when I don’t win, you know what it is? I’m p—-d off, big time. We need to be ready, this is the environment and the reality.

“Otherwise we are in Disneyland. We are not in Disneyland, we are in the Premier League at this level, and we look after him so much, like you cannot imagine. But at the same time, we are going to demand him like anybody else, because he needs to earn the right to play. Otherwise, the rest of the boys, what are they going to tell me? You need to be fair, that’s all.”

The Arsenal boss was also frustrated by the FA’s decision not to overturn the dismissal. “Very disappointed to be fair,” Arteta said. “Especially with the reckless tackles that he received but then his reaction is minimal in relation to the action. And yeah, disappointed it’s not being overturned.

“It is what it is,” the Spaniard boss added. “We have put every argument on the table to make a case for it. Not only the action, obviously, that is so evident when you look it back in slow motion, [but also] the previous action and Max’s action. It’s clear obviously we have a different opinion. And on top of that I think you need to read the context of the player, the age and what happened previously.”

Dowman escaped serious injury after the challenge from Harrison Neal, with Arteta saying “it could’ve been really bad.” He added that the youngster must learn to keep his composure, especially given the way opponents target his style of play, something he has already experienced after being sent off a month ago while on international duty with England U-19’s side.

Martin Ødegaard has emerged in a surprising new transfer story, with reports suggesting the Arsenal captain is open to joining Bayern Munich. The claim adds an awkward twist for Mikel Arteta, especially given the timing and the player’s importance to the club’s current direction.

Previous links between Ødegaard and Bayern have been treated as speculative, but this round of reporting is said to carry “new momentum” after Sky Germany indicated that the midfielder may be willing to move to Bavaria. Arsenal are believed to want to secure fresh terms for the 27-year-old, yet the club is already dealing with Declan Rice’s lucrative renewal.

Bayern, notably, are not said to be pushing aggressively for the move. Instead, the German side are reportedly prepared to wait while Ødegaard’s contract situation remains unresolved. With less than two years left on his current deal, the uncertainty is enough to create concern around one of Arsenal’s most influential figures.

For Arteta, the issue goes beyond one contract. He has repeatedly spoken about building a club that can challenge at the very top, and his ambition has been clear. “It’s certainly the ambition of the club and the owners to be the best club in the world,” Arteta declared ahead of the current campaign. He also said he wants “the best facilities, the best stadium, the best supporters” and “the best players in the world.”

That is why the possibility of losing Ødegaard would cut so deeply. Arsenal’s captain is viewed as a central part of the manager’s project, a trusted lieutenant whose influence is felt across the pitch. Gabriel provides the defensive base, Rice drives the midfield and Bukayo Saka carries the star billing, but Ødegaard remains the player who best reflects Arteta’s ideas.

He is fundamental to Arsenal’s work in possession and without it, and his growing output in front of goal has only strengthened his standing. He is also a key presser, making his value to the team even greater. Any hint that he could leave would challenge the image of a side still moving upward.

Arsenal have failed in their bid to overturn the red card shown to Max Dowman in the midweek defeat to Fleetwood Town, with the Football Association confirming the appeal has been dismissed.

Dowman was dismissed for violent conduct in the 85th minute after kicking out at Harrison Neal. The 16-year-old reacted after a forceful challenge from the Fleetwood midfielder went unpunished by referee Michael Salisbury.

The FA later issued a statement confirming the outcome of Arsenal’s case. It read: “An independent Regulatory Commission has dismissed claims of both wrongful dismissal and excessive punishment for Max Dowman.”

The decision leaves Dowman facing a three-match suspension in domestic competition. That ban begins with Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Liverpool, a significant test for the reigning champions.

He will be available for the Champions League trip to Slavia Prague, as domestic suspensions do not apply in UEFA competitions. But Dowman will then sit out league matches at home to Hull City and away to Newcastle United, either side of the November international break.

His next domestic appearance is scheduled to come against Manchester City on Nov. 29, a meeting that is shaping up as a major one in the title race.

Ordinarily, the teenager’s absence would not trouble Mikel Arteta too heavily, with Dowman still largely a bit-part player in the Premier League and Champions League. Yet the timing is awkward for Arsenal, who are already managing a depleted squad.

Arteta is also without Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s first-choice right winger, after the England international suffered a thigh injury in the recent Champions League match with Bayern Munich. His return date remains unclear, although he is expected to miss around two months of action.