‘The wind goes in all directions’: Fleetwood prepare wet welcome for Arsenal at Highbury

The Premier League champions may have bigger fish to fry but can expect a feisty reception from League Two strugglers in the Carabao Cup

The headlines around Fleetwood Town are rarely about what happens on the pitch. Noteworthy elements include Jamie Vardy’s celebrated status as a former player, a partnership signed with a team in Uzbekistan and the owner Andrew Pilley resigning in 2023 after being convicted of fraud, for which he was jailed for 13 years. There is often something noteworthy going on in relation to the Fylde coast club.

It is no different this week, although this time football is taking centre stage as Arsenal head to Highbury Stadium on Tuesday for a Carabao Cup fourth-round tie against the League Two side. There is no link to the Gunners’ former home in Islington and the ground is a world away from what the visitors are used to, its capacity a fraction of the Emirates Stadium. The Championship side Sheffield United were deservedly beaten there in the previous round, unable to cope with their opponents or the conditions, but the Cod Army anticipate a sterner test from Mikel Arteta’s aristocrats.