FA Cup: We paid for not being good enough, says Arsene Wenger

Disappointed Arsenal manager says defending champions deserved to crash out after poor show in 2-4 third round defeat to Nottingham Forest

Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger admitted he was hurting after Arsenal surrendered their grip on the FA Cup with defeat to Nottingham Forest. The Frenchman lost a third-round tie for the first time as his much-changed side lost in an action-packed clash at the City Ground. Wenger has become the competition's most successful manager, winning it seven times since taking charge of Arsenal in 1996, but the country's longest-serving boss was undone by Forest caretaker manger Gary Brazil on Sunday.

Eric Lichaj scored twice either side of Per Mertesacker's equaliser before penalties from Ben Brereton and Kieran Dowell sandwiched Danny Welbeck's goal in a 4-2 win for the Championship side. Forest finished the match with 10 men as Joe Worrall was shown a straight red card in the final minute for a late challenge on Chuba Akpom, but that did not dampen the home celebrations at the final whistle.

Arsenal players wear a dejected look after conceding a penalty against Nottingham Forest during their FAâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Cup 3rd round tie yesterday. Pic/AFP

Dejected but magnanimous in defeat, Wenger said: "It hurts very much because we have won the FA Cup three times in the past four years. "I congratulate Nottingham Forest on an outstanding performance. I think they deserved to win. We were just not good enough, not anywhere. Not in the front, not in the middle, not at the back, and we paid for it. "On the other hand, it is a very difficult competition to win. But it hurts to go out in the third round — for the first time. But we knew it would be very tricky, it is a difficult place to come."

1996
The year Arsenal lost an FA Cup third round tie for the first time under current manager Arsene Wenger

1908
The year Gunners last conceded four or more goals against a lower division side in a FA Cup encounter

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