Max Dowman earned the unwanted record of becoming the youngest player in English football history to receive a straight red card during Arsenal's Carabao Cup defeat against Fleetwood.
The sixteen-year-old midfielder was dismissed in the eighty-fifth minute by referee Michael Salisbury after lashing out following a heavy challenge from Harrison Neal.
Manager Mikel Arteta watched angrily as the teenager walked off the pitch, and the dismissal proved costly as the Gunners eventually lost on penalties to the League Two opposition.
Dowman currently faces a three-match suspension starting with a Premier League trip to face Liverpool on Sunday, though Arsenal have lodged an appeal.
Former Premier League official Mark Halsey believes the red card could be successfully rescinded by a panel.
Halsey stated that Dowman was unlucky to receive his marching orders for retaliation during Tuesday night's Carabao Cup exit.
The former referee explained that while the teenager acted in a petulant and aggressive manner, his actions did not constitute violent conduct.
Halsey compared the incident to Cole Palmer receiving a yellow card for bumping Mateus Fernandes during a match against Tottenham on Saturday evening.
According to Halsey, Palmer's action was slightly more aggressive than Dowman's frustrated kick, meaning both situations warranted yellow cards rather than red ones.
Neal's challenge on Dowman was heavy, though the Fleetwood defender cleanly won the ball first during the play.
Halsey argued that such robust challenges must remain part of football, even though the sixteen-year-old was wrong to react out of frustration.
He also noted that referee Michael Salisbury lacked VAR assistance, unlike Chris Kavanagh during the Palmer incident.
If the panel agrees with this assessment, the red card will be overturned, saving Dowman from missing upcoming matches against Liverpool, Hull City, and Newcastle.
