Arsenal lose to Nottingham Forest and are knocked out of the FA Cup

For only the second time in the past 26 years, Arsenal have failed to make it past the third round of the FA Cup - and once again Nottingham Forest – as they were in 2018 - were the Gunners nemeses again.

Arsenal visited Championship League club Nottingham Forest, who fairly defeated the Gunners after Arteta's boys failed to reflect the performances of recent games, showing a lack of confidence and teamwork. Lewis Grabban scored the winning goal coming off the bench to send his club through to the next round of the FA Cup.

Arteta’s squad can have complaints after a very lackluster performance at the City Ground.

Arsenal were far from its best, the club didn't create much, and were eventually punished by a late Lewis Grabban goal.

Disappointing first half performance for the Gunners 

The first half was a particularly drab affair, with neither side managing a shot on target. Eddie Nketiah and Sambi Lokonga both had shots deflected wide from outside the box, but the usual fluency and speed of movement they had in the past few weeks just wasn't there.

In an attempt to change things, Mikel Arteta brought on Kieran Tierney for Nuno Tavares after just half an hour. Tierney was clearly sent on with instructions to get forward, but still Arsenal’s creativity was lacking before the half-time whistle.

Nottingham Forest looked further for the win

The performance needed to improve after the restart, but it was the hosts who had the first chance of the second period - Leno made a fine save from Philip Zinckernagel's shot after Brennan Johnson had raced away on the right flank.

Nketiah headed wide from Bukayo Saka's cross when well placed at the far post, before Leno was called into action again, stretching to turn away James Garner's free-kick.

Nketiah tried his luck again after wriggling free inside the box, but he fired over from a difficult angle.

It was difficult to see where a breakthrough would come from, but as the game entered the final ten minutes it was the hosts who scored the only goal. Lewis Grabban - who had only been on the pitch for 15 minutes - converted well at the far post from Ryan Yates' cross.

Arsenal had just under ten minutes to get the goal that would keep them in the FA Cup. But it wasn't that way, and the Gunners bowed out of the competition without mustering a shot on target.

What is next to Arsenal?

Arsenal will focus on the Carabao Cup on Thursday, when they face Liverpool at Anfield for the first leg of the semi-final. The second leg, postponed from last week, will take place the following Thursday at the Emirates.

Between those two games the Gunners have to make a short trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next Sunday afternoon for the Premier League.