Arsenal Player Ratings: Kai Havertz misses earned 4.5/10 as Gunners exit Cup in Fleetwood

Premier League champions Arsenal suffered a stunning defeat in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, falling to League Two side Fleetwood Town in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw at Highbury Stadium.

Mikel Arteta opted for nine changes to his starting lineup, but the rotated side struggled to build momentum, particularly after an early eight-minute delay caused by a drone flying over the pitch.

Fleetwood took advantage of the visitors’ sluggish start when Aaron Loupalo-Bi capitalized on a defensive error to put the hosts ahead before halftime.

Although substitute Martin Odegaard ignited a second-half resurgence, setting up Viktor Gyokeres for a scrappy equalizer, Arsenal’s night went from bad to worse when 16-year-old Max Dowman received a straight red card late in the game for kicking out at Harrison Neal.

Fleetwood remained flawless from the spot to secure a historic 5-3 shootout win, while several Gunners failed to live up to expectations.

Arsenal Player Ratings

Illan Meslier — 5/10

Replacing Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal, Meslier had a night to forget. He was beaten too easily for Fleetwood’s opening goal, allowing the shot to slip past him when he should have done better to keep it out.

Jurrien Timber — 5/10

Timber pushed forward aggressively into dangerous areas on the right wing, but his final delivery consistently let him down. He repeatedly misplayed passes or lost his footing before being hooked at the break.

Marli Salmon — 3/10

A nightmarish outing for the young central defender. Salmon was physically outmatched by Loupalo-Bi for Fleetwood’s goal, getting turned easily and failing to recover with a desperation tackle.

Cristhian Mosquera — 6/10

Mosquera had his hands full dealing with the physicality of Ched Evans. While he hesitated at times and allowed the ball to bounce dangerously, he grew more assertive as the match progressed and produced several key clearances.

Piero Hincapie — 6/10

The defender missed a golden opportunity to score early on with a close-range header. Otherwise, he was active, demanded the ball, and held his ground despite taking a heavy, unpunished challenge along the touchline.

Martin Zubimendi — 5/10

Zubimendi struggled to exert his usual calm influence in midfield. He looked unusually rushed in possession, turned over the ball in critical areas, and was second-best in physical duels.

Myles Lewis-Skelly — 6/10

The youngster showed commendable work ethic throughout his time on the pitch. He constantly made himself available to receive the ball and came close to scoring with a fine curling effort that drifted just wide.

Max Dowman — 5/10

It was an eventful and ultimately frustrating night for the 16-year-old. After dragging a clear first-half chance wide and creating a few opportunities for teammates, his evening ended prematurely when he was shown a straight red card for an apparent kick-out at Harrison Neal.

Kai Havertz — 4.5/10

Operating as the central attacking midfielder, Havertz put in plenty of physical effort but was exceptionally wasteful in front of goal. He failed to convert a close-range header from Dowman’s cross and squandered two more excellent chances in the second half.

Ceadach O’Neill — 6.5/10

After finding space hard to come by in the first half, O’Neill turned into Arsenal’s main spark after the break. He delivered the dangerous cross that led to Gyokeres’ equalizer and repeatedly unpicked the Fleetwood defense.

Viktor Gyokeres — 6/10

Gyokeres was largely anonymous in the opening 45 minutes, struggling to assert himself against fourth-tier opposition. However, he made his mark early in the second half by bundling home a scrappy finish to drag Arsenal back into the tie.

Substitutes Ratings

Martin Odegaard — 7.5/10

Introduced at halftime for Salmon, the Arsenal captain completely shifted the tempo of the match. His vision, sharp passing, and urgency instantly injected life into a previously stagnant attack.

Ben White — 6/10

Brought on alongside Odegaard at the break to replace Timber, White provided much-needed defensive stability and composure along the right flank.

Eberechi Eze — 5.5/10

Entered the action in the 66th minute for O’Neill but failed to make the desired impact, struggling to break down Fleetwood’s resolute low block.

Ezri Konsa — N/A

Introduced in the 82nd minute for Lewis-Skelly; did not have enough time on the pitch to warrant a fair rating.

Bruno Guimaraes — N/A

Came on in the 82nd minute for Zubimendi; played too few minutes for a rating before the match went straight to penalties.