The FA Cup weekend continued this Sunday in England and it was Arsenal’s turn to make their debut in the oldest of competitions, after the victories of Liverpool and Tottenham earlier in the day. The Gunners moved on the lawn of a historic club across the Channel, Nottingham Forest, which is the only club to have won more European Cups (2) than national championship (1). Trained by the legendary Brian Clough, they had won the 1979 and 1980 editions of the ancestor of the Champions League, the Champions Clubs Cup. Currently the club is playing in the English second division.
The last confrontation between the two teams dates back to Arsene Wenger’s last FA Cup match on January 7, 2018, Nottingham Forest having eliminated the Gunners in the third round at the time (4-2). For this match counting for the 32nd of finals, Mikel Arteta gave playing time to young Charlie Patino, last nugget made-in Arsenal and Eddie Nketiah, author of a hat-trick in his last appearance, in the EFL Cup against Sunderland . Steve Cooper has lined up his rookie Keinan Davis, who arrived on loan this winter from Aston Villa. The first half was far from transcendent with no shot on target. Although the Gunners slightly dominated the proceedings, they returned to the break with a goalless draw. Note the exit on injury of Nuno Tavares (35th) replaced by Kieran Tierney. Back from the locker room, the first shot on target of the match (52nd) was for Nottingham with this strike from Philip Zinckernagel well stopped by Bernd Leno. The German stopped a very good free kick a few minutes later (62nd). Forrest’s players were more dangerous in the second half and it is only logical that they opened the scoring thanks to a goal from entering Lewis Grabban in the 83rd minute, who scored his 12th goal of the season and his first in 2022. Nottingham Forrest advance to the next round and will host Leicester City.
