Arsenal knocked out by League Two Fleetwood: the biggest shock eliminations in Carabao Cup history

Arsenal’s Carabao Cup run is over. The Premier League champions were knocked out in the fourth round by League Two side Fleetwood Town, who won 5-3 on penalties at Highbury Stadium after a 1-1 draw.

It is the kind of result that goes straight into the competition’s list of great upsets. Fleetwood sit 18th in the fourth tier, just above the relegation zone, and arrived on the back of two defeats in their last three games. The Gunners, meanwhile, share the lead in the Premier League and had drawn 2-2 away at Bayern Munich in the Champions League only days earlier.

The hosts struck first in the 21st minute, when Aaron Loupalo-Bi outmuscled teenage defender Marli Salmon and poked the ball through Illan Meslier’s legs. Viktor Gyokeres leveled five minutes into the second half, scoring his first goal of the season, but the visitors could not find a winner despite outshooting their opponents 26-3.

The tie turned ugly in the closing minutes. Teenager Max Dowman was sent off with five minutes remaining for kicking out at a Fleetwood defender. In the shootout, Bruno Guimaraes saw his spot-kick saved, and Conor Haughey converted the decisive penalty to send the League Two side through.

Arteta had rotated heavily, handing starts to several academy graduates, before bringing on Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Bruno Guimaraes and Eberechi Eze after the break. The arrival of the regulars, however, did not help the Spaniard, as they failed to save the team from a disappointing exit.

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The biggest shock eliminations in Carabao Cup history

• 1967, QPR 3-2 West Bromwich Albion: Third Division QPR, two tiers below the holders, came back from 2-0 down in the final.

• 1969, Swindon Town 3-1 Arsenal (aet): Third Division Swindon, two tiers below, won the final at Wembley.

• 2006, Southend United 1-0 Manchester United: Championship Southend, one tier below, beat the holders in the fourth round.

• 2010, Liverpool 2-2 Northampton Town (4-2 on penalties): League Two Northampton, three tiers below, won at Anfield in the third round.

• 2012, Bradford City 1-1 Arsenal (3-2 on penalties): League Two Bradford, three tiers below, won the quarterfinal.

• 2014, MK Dons 4-0 Manchester United: League One MK Dons, two tiers below, won comfortably in the second round.

• 2019, Colchester United 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur (4-3 on penalties): League Two Colchester, three tiers below, won in the third round.

• 2019, Oxford United 4-0 West Ham United: League One Oxford, two tiers below, won in the third round.

• 2025, Grimsby Town 2-2 Manchester United (12-11 on penalties): League Two Grimsby, three tiers below, won after a 26-kick shootout in the second round.