Long protected at Arsenal by FA Cup glory, Arsene Wenger on Sunday endured his earliest elimination when his title defense ended at managerless, second-tier Nottingham Forest.
The decision to rest stars backfired as a 4-2 collapse saw Arsenal knocked out in the third round, when Premier League teams enter, for the first time since Wenger took charge in 1996.
“It hurts even more because it’s a competition we love,” said Wenger, who has lifted the FA Cup in three of the past four seasons and is the 145-year-old competition’s most successful manager with seven triumphs.
Photo: Reuters
While Wenger has endured a Premier League title drought since 2003-2004, success in the oldest cup competition has helped the Frenchman to gain new contracts, but the manner of the loss in Nottingham was mortifying for Wenger, who was forced to watch from the stands as he started a three-match touchline ban for misconduct toward a referee.
“They were sharper than us, more incisive and more dominant in the challenges,” Wenger said.
Eric Lichaj was the match-winner with two goals for Nottingham Forest, who are 14th in the Championship and without a manager since firing Mark Warburton.
After Lichaj headed in Kieran Dowell’s free-kick in the 20th minute, Per Mertesacker quickly leveled, but the American defender was on target again just before halftime.
Rob Holding’s weak headed clearance fell straight to Lichaj, who brought the ball down with his chest and unleashed a dipping volley into the top corner.
“My wife told me that if I get a hat-trick any time during the year, then I get a dog,” Lichaj said. “So I was trying to get the penalty.”
There were two in the second half.
Ben Brereton extended Forest’s lead in the 64th minute after Holding tripped Matthew Cash.
Although Welbeck pulled one back — seizing on goalkeeper Jordan Smith losing his grip on the ball — Arsenal conceded a second penalty.
Mathieu Debuchy challenged former Gunners defender Armand Traore from behind and Kieran Dowell netted from the penalty spot in the 85th minute.
With a two-goal cushion it should have been a calm conclusion for the hosts, but Joe Worrall was sent off three minutes later for a sliding tackle on Chuba Akpom.
However, it was too late for Arsenal to mount a comeback and Forest secured a victory that revived memories of their heyday under Brian Clough.
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