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Days after Mikel Arteta was visibly furious at Max Dowman following the teenager's first-ever red card in his Arsenal career, the manager has stood by his reaction and cautioned the gifted winger that "we are not in Disneyland."
One of the most striking moments of Arsenal's embarrassing midweek Carabao Cup fourth-round exit at the hands of League Two outfit Fleetwood Town was the straight red card Dowman received for throwing a knee at an opponent after a dangerous foul that went unpunished.
Perhaps even more striking was Arteta's response. Rather than offering some words of comfort to the 16-year-old, the arms-folded Spaniard appeared livid as he exchanged a few words with Dowman as the youngster walked off the pitch and made his way to the dressing room.
Arteta later revealed that his words were connected to what he had told Dowman and the squad before the game — something the teenager clearly failed to remember when he lost his composure.
Mikel Arteta Sends Major Warning to Max Dowman
Many criticized Arteta's handling of Dowman after his dismissal; however, the Spanish manager was quick to stand firm on his stance.
"I haven't seen the reaction to my reaction," Arteta admitted ahead of Arsenal's high-profile weekend fixture against 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 continued. "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."
Arteta 'Disappointed' Dowman's Red Card Appeal Was Dismissed
Despite his anger toward Dowman, Arteta also acknowledged the red card decision was harsh and expressed his frustration after Arsenal's appeal to have his three-match ban reduced was turned down by the English Football Association.
"Very disappointed to be fair," Arteta said regarding the FA's ruling. "Especially with the reckless challenges he was subjected to, 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 Spanish 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 was fortunate to escape serious injury following the reckless challenge from Harrison Neal that triggered his angry, red card-earning response, with Arteta acknowledging "it could've been really bad."
Max Dowman. Youngest in charge. pic.twitter.com/ToBV5rK3XF
Nevertheless, Arteta stressed that Dowman must learn to control his emotions, as his explosive playing style will continue to attract rough treatment from opponents — as was the case when he was sent off a month ago while representing England's U-19 side.
"We need to be able to tell each other the things as they are," Arteta said. "Because he's 16 and we have to be very protective of him, but at the same time very straight with him, with what to expect from him towards the team, the individuals and the club."
Finally, Arteta confirmed there are no lingering issues between himself and Dowman following Tuesday's red card incident. With the teenager suspended for the next three Premier League matches, the Champions League clash against Slavia Prague on Nov. 4 represents the only potential opportunity for Dowman to feature before the November international break.