Full Breakdown
Fleetwood Town's Shock Upset Over Arsenal Sets Up Quarter-Final Clash With Everton or Newcastle
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
The Last-16 Upset (October 27)
On October 27, fourth-tier Fleetwood Town forced a 1-1 draw with Premier League champions Arsenal at Highbury Stadium and then prevailed 5-3 in the penalty shoot-out. Aaron Loupalo-Bi gave Fleetwood the lead in the 21st minute, while Viktor Gyökeres equalised early in the second half. Arsenal were reduced to ten men in the 86th minute when 16-year-old Max Dowman was sent off for violent conduct. The match was halted for more than eight minutes after a drone hovered over the pitch. Goalkeeper Jay Lynch saved Bruno Guimarães’s spot-kick before Conor Haughey converted the decisive penalty, sending Fleetwood to the quarter-finals for the first time in the club’s history. Reuters noted that Fleetwood sit 84 places below Arsenal in the English football pyramid.
Watch
Related reporting
brightcove
Arsenal knocked out of League Cup by fourth-tier Fleetwood Town
02
Everton’s Victory Over Newcastle (October 29)
Two days later, Everton defeated Newcastle United 3-1 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. James Garner opened the scoring in the 34th minute, Hayden Hackney doubled the lead before halftime, and Thierno Barry added a third after the break. Dan Burn’s late header was a consolation for Newcastle. The win secured Everton a quarter-final tie against the “giant-killers” Fleetwood.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
03
Background & Context
The Carabao Cup pits clubs from all four professional tiers of English football in a knockout format. Lower-division “giant-killings” are a celebrated feature of the competition. Prior upsets include Bradford City’s penalty win over Arsenal in 2012 and Grimsby Town’s shoot-out victory over Manchester United in 2025. These precedents underscore the rarity of a League Two club eliminating the reigning Premier League champions.
04
Data & Statistics
- Fleetwood vs Arsenal: 1-1 (90 min); 5-3 on penalties.
- Goal scorers: Aaron Loupalo-Bi (21´); Viktor Gyökeres (50´).
- Red card: Max Dowman (86´).
- Penalty shoot-out: Jay Lynch saved Guimarães; Haughey scored the winning spot-kick.
- Everton vs Newcastle: 3-1.
- Goal scorers: James Garner (34´), Hayden Hackney (45´), Thierno Barry (69´); Dan Burn (88´).
- League positions: Fleetwood – 18th in League Two; Arsenal – Premier League champions; Everton – Premier League club; Newcastle – Premier League club.
05
Official Statements & Responses
Everton manager David Moyes praised his side’s “really good values” after dropping Jack Grealish for a disciplinary breach and highlighted the focus on reaching the quarter-finals.
06
Verbatim Quotes
- “A really sad day for us,” — Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
- “I think the one thing about Everton and what they’ve got is they’ve got really good values behind it,” — David Moyes
07
What’s Next (December 14)
The quarter-final draw is scheduled for the week commencing December 14, 2026. Fleetwood Town will host either Everton or Newcastle United, while the other lower-league side, Bradford City, will meet Manchester City. The outcome will determine whether Fleetwood’s historic run continues against a Premier League opponent.