Arsenal humiliated by Fleetwood in EFL League Cup

Arsenal on Tuesday suffered one of the most humiliating defeats in their history as the Premier League champions were stunned by fourth-tier minnows Fleetwood Town in an EFL League Cup penalty shoot-out.

Mikel Arteta’s side crashed out 5-3 on penalties in an incredible fourth round upset after the tie finished 1-1 in normal time.

Arsenal’s Bruno Guimaraes’s penalty was saved by Jay Lynch in the shoot-out and Conor Haughey scored Fleetwood’s winner.

Fleetwood Town’s Rhys Bennett, front left, and teammates celebrate winning a penalty shoot-out against Arsenal in their EFL League Cup math in Fleetwood, England, on Tuesday.

Photo: Reuters

Aaron Loupalo-Bi’s first-half goal had put Fleetwood ahead before Viktor Gyokeres equalized after the interval.

Arsenal’s 16-year-old rising star Max Dowman was sent off for violent conduct in the closing stages.

Arteta paid the price for prioritizing Sunday’s Premier League trip to Liverpool as his decision to make nine changes backfired spectacularly.

No one would have predicted Arsenal’s embarrassment regardless of Arteta’s selection gamble.

They had moved level on points with Premier League leaders Manchester City after a 2-0 victory over Everton on Saturday, but instead of extending their run of 11 wins from their 13 previous games, Arsenal returned to north London red-faced after a loss that ranks among the darkest days in the club’s glittering history.

The Gunners boss conceded Arsenal could have no complaints, admitting it was a painful moment in his reign.

“First of all, congratulations to Fleetwood for going through the next round. The manner that they have done it, and for us a very sad day,” Arteta said.

“There is nothing to criticize the players for their attitude, their application,” he said. “The determination, you could see that was there from the start, even with 10 men, but we conceded a really poor goal to start with that gave them some momentum.”

Fleetwood made a mockery of the 84 places between the clubs in the English soccer system with a defiant display that stopped Arsenal establishing any momentum.

Their refusal to be overawed by Arsenal’s star power was a tribute to Fleetwood boss Matt Lawlor, who won the tactical battle with Arteta by sitting deep and attacking on the counter.

“I just can’t believe it. The biggest night in the club’s history in terms of opposition coming to town and we’ve managed to beat the champions,” Lawlor said.

“We’re not stupid enough and not egotistical enough that you think we’re going to outplay the best team in the country and the most organized team in the country,” he said. “So we had to ride our luck, we had to deny space, we had to deny options for them, and I think we did that really, really well in terms of the majority of the game.”