Arsenal's appeal was rejected after 16-year-old Dawman received a red card and was suspended for three matches.

Arsenal's 16-year-old midfield prodigy Max Dowman has been suspended for three matches.

In Tuesday's English League Cup match, Premier League defending champions Arsenal drew 1-1 with League Two side Fleetwood Town in regular time before suffering a shock 3-5 defeat in a penalty shootout, thus being eliminated from the competition.

In the 85th minute, Fleetwood player Harrison Neal made a reckless tackle on Doman, who then retaliated with an unsportsmanlike act, making contact with Neal's foot and being shown a straight red card by the referee.

Arsenal appealed the decision on Wednesday, but the appeal was ultimately rejected by the authorities. According to the Laws of the Game, any excessive force or attempt by a player to use against an opponent outside of a contest for the ball, regardless of the degree of contact, constitutes violence.

It's worth noting that this is Dawman's second red card this month; he was previously sent off while playing for England U19. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta stood on the sidelines, looking stern and giving the young winger a stern reprimand for his impulsive act.

Doman's absence further exacerbates Arsenal's already strained wing options. Currently, Bukayo Saka, Christos Zolis, and Noni Madoueke are all sidelined with injuries.

Arteta's team will return to the Premier League this Sunday, facing Liverpool away from home, where their attacking formation will be put to a severe test.

Image source: Internet/Arsenal official website