M ikel Arteta’s reaction said it all. As Max Dowman trudged towards the touchline after becoming the youngest player sent off in a League Cup match at 16 years and 300 days, the Arsenal manager could not help himself.

Arms folded across his chest like an angry father who has caught his teenage son sneaking in after midnight, Arteta leaned over and aimed a few choice words in Dowman’s direction before the forward headed sheepishly down the tunnel. What he said remains unknown, although that hasn’t stopped the amateur lip-readers speculating on social media. “Get in the changing room. Now,” appears the most likely guess.

There is no doubt Arteta had made up his mind about the incident that ended with Dowman seeing red for reacting to an overaggressive sliding tackle from Fleetwood’s Harrison Neal.…