Iraola cautiously comments on the title race ahead of Arsenal match, while Arteta defends Max Douman

Mikel Arteta described Arsenal's unexpected exit from the League Cup against fourth-tier side Fleetwood as 'a very sad day,' noting that the Premier League champions experienced one of the most regrettable outcomes in the club's history.

The match ended with a 5-3 penalty shootout defeat in the fourth round, following a 1-1 draw during regular time. During the shoot-out, Arsenal's Bruno Guimaraes had his penalty saved by Jay Lynch, and Conor Haughey subsequently scored the winning goal for Fleetwood.

The scoreline in the main match saw Aaron Loupalo-Bi open the scoring for Fleetwood in the first half, which was later equalized by Viktor Gyokeres after the break. In the latter stages of the game, Arsenal's 16-year-old prospect, Max Dowman, received a sending-off for violent conduct.

Arteta acknowledged that his decision to prioritize the Premier League fixture against Liverpool on Sunday led to the spectacular failure of his tactical change involving nine substitutions. The manager admitted that Arsenal could not fault the players' attitude, calling the moment painful within his tenure.

Arteta congratulated Fleetwood on advancing to the next round, stating, '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.'

He added that there was nothing to criticize regarding the players' dedication or effort, observing that their determination was evident from the beginning, even while playing with ten men. However, he pointed out that a 'really poor goal' conceded initially provided Fleetwood with momentum. He stressed that despite possessing significant possession, numerous chances, and many shots, Arsenal failed to capitalize on these opportunities, which was crucial for avoiding penalties.

Arsenal had recently matched the Premier League leaders, Manchester City, in points after securing a 2-0 victory over Everton on Saturday. Yet, instead of continuing their streak of 11 wins across 13 matches, Arteta's squad returned to North London disappointed after a loss considered one of the club's bleakest moments.

Regarding the dismissal of Dowman, Arteta stated that although it appeared harsh for aiming at Harrison Neal, he was not impressed with the 16-year-old and spoke sternly to him as he left the field. When questioned about his prior discussion with Dowman, Arteta replied that it was something they had already talked about before the match, adding that he preferred to review footage before making a final assessment.

Fleetwood effectively challenged the vast disparity in standing between the two clubs in the English football structure with a determined performance that prevented Arsenal from building any momentum. The refusal of the team to be intimidated by Arsenal's star quality was credited to Fleetwood boss Matt Lawlor, who successfully countered Arteta's tactics by adopting a deep defensive posture and exploiting counter-attacks.

Lawlor expressed disbelief at the outcome, remarking, '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.'

He explained that his team was neither naive nor overly arrogant to believe they could outplay the nation's top team or the most organized side. Instead, they focused on riding their luck, denying space, and limiting options for Arsenal, which he felt they executed very well throughout the majority of the game. Despite his composure during the match, Lawlor became emotional during the celebratory invasion of the pitch by jubilant Fleetwood supporters after the decisive penalty, expressing happiness that the players had given the town, the club, and everyone pride.

Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola stated on Friday that he does not intend to lower the team's requirements for high intensity, despite a series of injuries. The Reds are ready to play without Dominik Soboscic, Jeremy Frimpong, and Victor Muñoz during their visit to Brighton on Sunday. Furthermore, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo recently returned after injuries sustained in international competitions.

The high-energy playing style that Iraola successfully employed at Bournemouth helped him secure the position at Anfield. However, for the first time in his coaching career, he has to deal with the additional burden associated with European football.

At the press conference before the match, Iraola emphasized that the team cannot play at 70% level. He explained that if there is no backup right winger, he will put someone in that position, preferring this over having someone conserve energy to last all 90 minutes. In his opinion, players should give maximum effort for 60, 65, or 70 minutes, as other players will come onto the field afterward.

He added that although he would like to say they are capable of winning matches by playing at 70%, this is not the case. They need to show their best game because the opponents are very strong.

Liverpool enters the weekend four points behind third place, which is held by Brighton. Brighton leads the English Premier League in goals scored, having netted 23 goals in seven games. Iraola noted that the opposing team is showing incredible results and deserves all praise, considering them very well trained.

The coach stated that the team needs to show its best level to beat Brighton, as the opponent is currently full of confidence. Nevertheless, he also considers his team to be in good shape.

Soboscic's return from injury was interrupted last week during the victory over 'Brentford', but Iraola expresses hope that the Hungarian player will not be absent for long. The Spaniard said he does not think the player is far from being ready, but he has not yet trained with the group. Given that he was brought on and then substituted, it will likely require one or two more days than last week.

Iraola noted that Soboscic is in good shape, training independently outside the group, and will soon join the team, but is not yet ready for the upcoming match.