Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed deep disappointment after his side suffered a shocking Carabao Cup exit on penalties to League Two side Fleetwood Town at Highbury Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Premier League champions fell behind in the 21st minute to an Aaron Loupalo-Bi strike following an initial delay caused by an unauthorized drone above the ground.
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Despite being reduced to 10 men, Arsenal responded in the second half through substitute Viktor Gyökeres, who netted his first goal of the season to force a penalty shootout.
The giant-killing was completed in the shootout when summer signing Bruno Guimarães missed the deciding spot-kick to send the fourth-tier hosts into the next round.
Speaking post-match to BBC Radio 5 Live, Arteta offered congratulations to Fleetwood while refusing to scapegoat his players.
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“First of all, congratulations to Fleetwood for going through to the next round. The manner that they have done it, and for us a very sad day,” Arteta said.
“There is nothing to criticise the players for their attitude, their application. The determination — you could see that was there from the start. Even with 10 men, we conceded a really poor goal to start with that gave them some momentum.”
