STOKE CITY SHOWN ARSENAL FA CUP EXIT

STOKE City dumped Arsenal out of the FA Cup with a 3-1 win in the fourth round tie at the Britannia  Stadium to send the Potters into the fifth round. Two goals by by Jamaican's Robert Fuller and David Whitehead was enough for Tony Pulis'men  to advance through and they will meet Roberto Mancini's side  Manchester City in the next round when the draw was made last night.

For Arsenal after three days taking over the top spot  of the Premier League, The Gunners suffered a double blows, first they were ousted to second place by Manchester United, when the Red Devils  trashed  Hull City 4-0 and later they  were knocked out by Stoke City in the FA Cup.
 
Arsenal rested 9 of their regulars for the match with only captain Cesc Fabregas and Denilson in their line-up. Both  did well to live the expectations for  the Arsenal's travelling fans when they came back to drew level 1-1 after Stoke took an early lead in the very first minute  through Fuller header.

But after Arsene Wenger made three straight subsitutions Andrey Arshavin, Aaron Ramsey and Eduardo in the second-half for Theo Wallcott, Cocquelain and Emanual Jay Thomas. Before the trio could settle down, Tony Pulis's men took a shock 2-1 lead through another Fuller header. The home side then seal off the match five minutes remaining through David Whitehead.

Former Arsenal defender, Sol Campbell  35, made his first appearance to the side but fails in  his first attempt to help Arsene Wenger's side from the defeat and crashed out to join Manchester United and Liverpool leaving one of the big four, Chelsea in the cup.

Arsene Wenger put the blame on himself on his side FA Cup exit. He said he was responsible for the loss. He added the it was quite a tough and a physical game which prove too much for his young players in the likes of Jay Emanuel Thomas and Cocquelain.