Arsenal travel to Anfield to face Liverpool in the Premier League this afternoon (16:30 UK time) without Max Dowman, after the teenager's red card in midweek was upheld. On Tuesday, Fleetwood Town knocked the Gunners out of the Carabao Cup on penalties after a 1-1 draw, and the night finished with Dowman sent off for kicking out at Harrison Neal with five minutes left.

Mikel Arteta addressed the fall-out from that match, and the challenge of returning north, in his pre-match press conference on Friday. Pundits have offered a wide range of predictions for the Liverpool fixture, according to Football.London.

Dowman suspended for Anfield trip

Arsenal failed in an attempt to have the red card overturned, meaning Dowman is unavailable for today's game. Arteta was seen speaking briefly to the young player as he left the pitch at Highbury Stadium, and the exchange drew criticism.

Speaking on Friday, the manager said he had not seen the reaction to his reaction. He stressed the context of his relationship with Dowman and what the pair had discussed before the player went out, adding: "For me, it was the best reaction to be who I am."

"We are not in Disneyland, we are in the Premier League," he said, explaining that the environment demands a readiness for that reality. He insisted the club look after Dowman closely while still asking the same of him as everyone else, because he "needs to earn the right to play".

Learning to handle close attention

Asked about young players coping with rough treatment, Arteta said gifted footballers have faced that since childhood and must learn to deal with the tricks adult opponents know. He noted that Dowman also comes up against this in training, as no one wants a 15- or 16-year-old to dribble past them.

On the red card itself, Arteta described it as a split-second emotional reaction that a player regrets afterwards. He said he had experienced similar moments himself, and that a career brings far harder situations — long-term injuries or problems affecting family — which players must navigate privately.

Smith: a win would be a statement

Former Arsenal forward Alan Smith, speaking via BestBettingSites.co.uk, said a victory at Anfield would be the kind of result that strengthens the side's credentials as title favourites. He recalled last season's defeat to a late Dominik Szoboszlai free kick and said he hoped Arsenal would go there and be positive, noting they have been accused of being negative at Anfield in the past.

Football.According to London, Arsenal’s last league win at Anfield came in September 2012, meaning they have gone more than 14 years without one.

Arteta on the Anfield challenge

Arteta said his squad are accustomed to hostile venues at home and abroad, citing trips to the Bernabeu and a recent meeting with Bayern Munich, and argued they have now won in the biggest stadiums. He accepted that visiting teams do not triumph often at places like Anfield, and that Arsenal will have to be at a very high level.

He added that the aim would be unchanged had his side won in midweek, describing the objective as the same regardless of the pain that has to be swallowed.

Photo: Ronnie Macdonald from Chelmsford, United Kingdom via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, resized.