So Arsenal lost to Watford on Sunday, ending a streak of 15 consecutive FA Cup ties won.
It means the hunt for silverware this season rests on the Champions League, but Arsenal had impressively not lost an FA Cup home game to a top flight side since 1997. Now that’s gone.
Our last FA Cup defeat had come at home against Championship side Blackburn Rovers in 2013, and Saturday was just the third time Wenger has lost a home FA Cup match in 47 games at either Highbury and the Emirates Stadium.
Back in 1997, Leeds United were one of the best sides in England and won 1-0 at Highbury in the fourth round, becoming the first team to beat Wenger in the FA Cup and the only to beat him on his own turf until 2013.
The Arsenal boss has now lost 10 different sides in the famous old competitions, with Watford becoming just the sixth team to beat Wenger’s Arsenal without requiring a replay. It’s an incredible record, and in the boss’ 20th FA Cup campaign it can’t be forgotten. Of course Arsenal will lose games, but the frequency with which we’re losing them right now is hard to take.
Still, we have a fantastic record in the competition since Arsène Wenger arrived and credit to Watford for playing well enough to beat us on Sunday.