Arteta warns Arsenal to respect Fleetwood or risk Carabao Cup embarrassment

Mikel Arteta has called on his Arsenal squad to treat Tuesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round trip to Fleetwood Town with full professional seriousness, warning that complacency against lower-league opposition can prove costly.

The Gunners travel to Highbury Stadium — not to be confused with their former home — to face a League Two side that has won just one of their last eight fixtures. Despite the gulf in class on paper, Arteta was unequivocal in his pre-match message.

“Our reputation, our pride, everything is in play,” the Arsenal manager said. “So every time you play a football match, especially against a team in a different division, respect the game and respect every opponent because they deserve that. Then try to win and try to play a bit better than them.”

Arteta knows from personal experience how these occasions can unravel. He was an unused substitute when Arsenal were knocked out of the same competition by Bradford City on penalties in December 2012, and he has no intention of reliving that kind of humiliation.

Strong winds and difficult conditions are expected in the North West, adding another layer of unpredictability to a fixture that already carries the hallmarks of a potential upset.

Despite the likelihood of wholesale rotation ahead of Sunday’s Premier League visit to Anfield, Viktor Gyokeres is expected to retain his starting place following Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday. The Swedish striker, who finished last season as the club’s top scorer with 21 goals in all competitions, is still searching for his first goal of the current campaign.

Arteta remains unconcerned, pointing to moments of near-misses rather than a lack of effort or quality. “I think he was unlucky two or three moments on Saturday,” the Spaniard said. “He’s in front of goal, he’s won the position to both centre-backs and the ball doesn’t get there. But he’s done a lot of good things and we need to keep insisting.”

Midfielder Martin Zubimendi is also in contention to feature, despite leaving the Everton match with a bloodied nose after taking a knock to the face during his substitute appearance.