Reigning Premier League champions Arsenal have been brought crashing back to earth with a bang after losing on penalties to fourth-tier outfit Fleetwood Town in the EFL Cup. 84 places separated the two teams in the English football pyramid after the Gunners moved back to the top flight's summit days before the clash with a 2-0 win at home to Everton, but a dismal display from the visitors saw them fall victim to one of the greatest cup upsets of all time.
Stubborn Fleetwood frustrate Arsenal
Fleetwood headed into the clash coming off the back of two straight defeats, which left them down in 18th place in League Two and just two points above the relegation zone. However, it was they who shockingly took the lead through winger Aaron Loupalo-Bi in the 21st minute, even though the heavyweight Gunners fielded a strong starting lineup containing the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Martin Zubimendi, Myles Lewis-Skelley, Piero Hincapie, Cristhian Mosquera, and Jurrien Timber.
The score remained 1-0 at half-time, prompting Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to introduce captain Martin Odegaard from the bench. The move immediately paid dividends as last year's beaten finalists drew level through Gyokeres' scruffy, bundled equaliser. But the visitors were unable to kick on, and their dominance in terms of possession yielded very few actual attempts on goal.
With the Gunners pushing for a winner late on, their charge was halted as 16-year-old midfielder Max Dowman reacted angrily to a strong but fair challenge from Fleetwood's Harrison Neal. The teenager received his marching orders as well as a strong dressing down from manager Arteta on his way back down the tunnel, taking with him Arsenal's hopes of winning in 90 minutes.
A seismic upset
Online betting sites had made Arteta's men monstrous favourites to emerge with the win. The popular Sportaza casino and sports betting platform had listed Arsenal as short as 1/10 to win in 90 minutes. However, a 1-1 draw left them ripe for the picking in the resulting penalty shootout, just as they were in last year's Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest.
After seven successful spot kicks for both teams, Cod Army 'keeper Jay Lynch saved from Arsenal's £75m man Bruno Guimarães. That allowed 19-year-old Conor Haughey to lash home the winner and seal perhaps the greatest night in Fleetwood Town history.
The result will live on in infamy in the minds of Gunners supporters and will stand the test of time in English football folklore. But which other teams have fallen victim to a stunning upset in the EFL Cup, England's secondary cup competition after the somewhat more prestigious FA Cup? Let's take a look.
2025/26 - Grimsby Town beat Manchester United
Twelve months ago, it was Manchester United who fell victim to a shocker at the hands of a fourth-tier outfit. They travelled to Blundell Park to face League Two side Grimsby Town in the second round of last season's EFL Cup, and they did so just as the wheels were starting to come off Ruben Amorim's reign as manager.
The Red Devils fielded a strong team containing the likes of Andre Onana, Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, Patrick Dorgu, Amad Diallo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko. However, they shockingly found themselves 2-0 down after just half an hour following goals from Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren.
It looked as though the Mariners would cruise to a 2-0 win, but United eventually found their footing. Substitute Bryan Mbeumo pulled a goal back with 15 minutes remaining before captain Maguire struck the equaliser in the 89th minute. After a 2-2 draw, the visitors thought they would manage to complete the comeback in the resulting penalty shootout, but the hosts were not to be denied.
After a marathon shootout that saw 23 penalties successfully hit the back of the net, Mbuemo went from hero to villain as his second spot kick thundered back off the crossbar to hand the League Two side the win.
2012/13 - Bradford City stun Arsenal en route to final
Arsenal have suffered this fate before. Back in 2012/13, Bradford City embarked upon a run for the ages. The League Two outfit eliminated three Premier League clubs en route to becoming the first fourth-tier side to reach the final in 51 years, beginning with a penalty shootout win against Wigan Athletic in the fourth round. However, it was their quarter-final against Arsene Wenger's Arsenal that truly captured the headlines.
The Gunners headed to Valley Parade 63 places ahead of their opponents in the pyramid and in the midst of a trophy drought that had reached eight years. The EFL Cup was considered their best shot at ending their barren spell, and they headed to West Yorkshire expecting a handy victory and a guaranteed spot in the semifinals. The Bantams had other ideas.
The visitors started their strongest squad, including the likes of Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, and Aaron Ramsey, but it was the hosts who took the lead through winger Garry Thompson. It looked as though his strike would be enough to secure a 1-0 win, but with just two minutes remaining, captain Thomas Vermaelen nodded Arsenal level.
Neither side could find a winner in extra time, resulting in a penalty shootout. There, it was Vermaelen, the hero just half an hour prior, who became the villain. His penalty struck the post, handing Bradford the win, and they wouldn't squander their opportunity. They went on to beat Aston Villa across two legs in the semifinals before coming up short against Swansea in the final, losing 4-0 at Wembley.
