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Arsene Wenger Suffers Earliest FA Cup Exit Ever in Third Round Loss

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So much for Arsenal and Arsene Wenger defending their FA Cup title in 2018. We will officially have a new champion come May.

Wenger heavily rotated his Gunners side today, and the paid the price for it in a 4-2 third round elimination loss at the hands of Nottingham Forest. This marks the first time in the Arsene Wenger era that his side failed to win their first match in the tournament.

The FA Cup has really become a point of pride for Arsene Wenger and his acolytes, with the north London side hoisting the trophy in three of the past four seasons (Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United in 2016 claimed the other title, which ended up being the only trophy he won with the club). Wenger has won it seven times.

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Arsenal holds the all time record for FA Cup titles with 13, but Wenger’s decision to omit so many of his first team players in his lineup today led to their elimination. Adding insult to injury, the elimination comes at the hands of a Championship side that had just recently sacked their own manager.

American Lihaj bagged a brace for Forest (20′, 44′), who also got goals from Joe Worrall (84′) and Kieran Dowell on a penalty. The Gunners received their scoring from Per Mertesacker (23′) and Danny Welbeck (79′).

Tomorrow night brings the fourth round FA Cup draws, and quite a few big six teams will be a part of it, but, alas Arsenal will not. Take a look at the Tweet below to be reminded why Monday night.

Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.

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