Forest front-man, Lewis Grabban, hits the back of the visitors’ net to dispatch a disappointing Arsenal. The Gunners go out, whilst the plucky home side earn a fourth-round tie with holders, Leicester City!
Arsenal went down to a shock 1-0 defeat at Championship side, Nottingham Forest, in the FA Cup third round, on Sunday at the City Ground.
Forest striker, Lewis Grabban, came off the bench and netted a winner, eight minutes from time, to set up a fourth-round showdown against last year’s winners, Leicester City.
Forest’s classic giant-killing was just the second time in over a quarter of a century that Arsenal have been knocked out in the third round. Coincidently, it was the Nottingham club that previously beat Arsenal at this stage of the competition, four years ago, in what was to become former manager, Arsene Wenger’s final FA Cup clash.
The Gunners, who have lifted the FA Cup 14 times, most recently in 2020, were sporting an all-white kit in the match, as part of a “No More Red” campaign to raise awareness of the high levels of knife crime amongst the youth of England’s capital.
The Premier League visitors were second best in a disjointed and scrappy first half, and Nuno Tavares, who didn’t appear to be injured, was visibly annoyed to be withdrawn ten minutes before halftime, after an underwhelming 35-minute performance.
Steve Cooper’s Forest, had an opportunity to take the lead in the second half when winger, Brennan Johnson, instigated a counter-attack and fed Danish forward, Philip Zinckernagel, who forced opposing goalkeeper, Bernd Leno, into a smart stop.
Mikel Arteta’s men failed to register a strike on target, while Forest kept pushing, and Grabban came on as a substitute on 68 minutes to make an almost instant impact.
The 33-year-old hitman latched onto a cross from midfielder, Ryan Yates, and slotted home first-time with an outstretched right boot, to earn a hugely satisfying 1-0 victory.
Arsenal are now free to concentrate on the Premier League and their quest for a UEFA Champions League spot.
