Fleetwood Town Knock Out Arsenal in Stunning League Cup Upset
Fleetwood Town produced a remarkable League Cup upset on Tuesday, eliminating reigning Premier League champions Arsenal on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Conor Haughey’s decisive kick sealed the result following Bruno Guimarães’ miss, prompting a pitch invasion at the final whistle as the Cod Army overcame opponents positioned 84 places above them in the English pyramid.
What changed for the club
Fleetwood had taken the lead in the 21st minute when Aaron Loupalo-Bi escaped Marli Salmon’s attention and sent his shot through Illan Meslier’s legs. Arsenal levelled five minutes after half-time through Viktor Gyökeres, but Mikel Arteta’s side, despite controlling the ball for long spells, could not find a second goal before the shootout.
Jay Lynch then denied Guimarães after every earlier penalty had been converted. Haughey, a teenage defender, struck the winning attempt to deliver what may stand as the biggest victory in Fleetwood’s history.
The match had already been disrupted early on, with play halted for eight minutes in the second minute because of a drone over the stadium. Arsenal also ended the game with 16-year-old Max Dowman sent off in the 85th minute after reacting to a forceful challenge from Harrison Neal.
Lynch said the squad had spoken about Grimsby Town’s defeat of Manchester United last year and believed they could give themselves a chance against the champions. Manager Matt Lawlor admitted Fleetwood had not held a single penalty practice session before the tie.
The competition context
Arsenal arrived having lost only once in 11 Premier League and Champions League matches this season, adding weight to Fleetwood’s achievement. League Cup history, however, contains several defeats for leading clubs against lower-division opponents.
- Grimsby Town held Manchester United 2-2 in 2025 before winning a 12-11 shootout. Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren gave Grimsby a two-goal half-time lead, while Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire rescued United, with Maguire scoring in the 89th minute. It was United’s first cup exit against a fourth-tier club.
- Southend United beat League Cup holders Manchester United 1-0 in 2006, Freddie Eastwood scoring a 30-yard free-kick against a side featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra. United went on to win the league.
- Northampton Town defeated Liverpool on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Anfield in 2010. Milan Jovanovic scored early for Liverpool, but Billy McKay and Michael Jacobs turned it around before David N’Gog forced penalties in extra time; Abdul Osman converted the decisive kick.
- Bradford City knocked Arsenal out in the 2012 quarter-finals, winning 3-2 in the shootout after a 1-1 draw. Garry Thompson’s opener was cancelled out by Thomas Vermaelen in the 88th minute, before Santi Cazorla and Vermaelen missed penalties. Phil Parkinson’s Bradford later lost the final 5-0 to Swansea City.
- MK Dons beat Manchester United 4-0 in 2014, with braces from Will Grigg and Arsenal loanee Benik Afobe. David de Gea, Jonny Evans and Javier Hernández were among those in United’s team.
- Colchester United beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless 2019 tie. Christian Eriksen and Lucas Moura missed, allowing Tom Lapslie to send Colchester into the last 16 for the first time in 44 years.
- Oxford United defeated West Ham 4-0 in 2019 through goals from Elliot Moore, Matt Taylor, Tariqe Fosu-Henry and Shandon Baptiste. West Ham began with 10 full internationals, while Jack Wilshere had also featured for Arsenal in the 2012 loss to Bradford.
What is scheduled next
Fleetwood’s immediate prize is progression in the League Cup, with the next-round draw set to determine the club’s next opponent. Arsenal, meanwhile, must respond after a damaging cup elimination in a season that had begun with strong domestic and European form.
