Arsenal's Emirates StadiumImage credit: Lloyd Morgan via flickr

Arsenal remain the most successful side in the history of the FA Cup. Their haul of 14 wins means they are one clear of Manchester United and fully six ahead of Chelsea, Liverpool and North London rivals Tottenham. Their record in the 21st century has been magnificent, with three wins in four years between 2002 and 2005, and a further four triumphs between 2013/14 and 2019/20.

For those that can’t be bothered to “do the math”, that means that half of their 14 FA Cup wins have come this millennium. As such, it would be harsh, unfair and, in fact, just plain wrong to suggest they have been struggling in the FA Cup in recent times. But really, that rather depends on your definition of recent, because in the past five seasons combined they have won just two games in the competition. Looking back a little further than that, the record-winners have been eliminated in the third or fourth round in seven of the last eight seasons.

That the only exception came in 2019/20 when they won the FA Cup does lessen the pain quite a lot. But even so, the Gunners seem to have fallen into a bad habit of early-round defeats and it happened once again in January 2025.

United Somehow Win

For much of football’s long history, Arsenal versus Man United has been a big clash. They met in the final of the FA Cup in 1979 and again in 2005 and have played so many huge games against each other. The rivalry between the two peaked in the Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson days but since then both great clubs have seen standards drop.

Under Mikel Arteta the Gunners are clearly on the rise though and they were big favourites to beat Ruben Amorim’s men in the third round of the FA Cup this year, especially with the tie being at the Emirates. Both managers fielded strong XIs but the first half was one to forget and featured just seven shots, with Arsenal not getting any of their four on target.

The second 45 was very different and Arteta’s men had 14 efforts on goal, amassing an xG of 2.40 against United’s 0.06. But football is a game that makes a mockery of stats and it was United who took the lead after 52 minutes. Bruno Fernandes scored on the break from the edge of the area after 52 minutes but just nine minutes after that the visitors were reduced to 10 men, Diogo Dalot picking up a second yellow card.

Arsenal cranked up the pressure and equalised just after the hour mark with a very well-taken goal from Gabriel. Not long after that, the Gunners had a chance to take the lead but Martin Odegaard’s penalty was saved. The home team had further chances but the Red Devils somehow hung on to force penalties.

The less said about that the better but in short, United keeper Altay Bayindir saved his second penalty of the day to keep Kai Havertz’s effort out. Amorim’s men scored all of their efforts and that was that, another early exit for Arsenal. It may not prove such a bad thing, of course, with the club already having plenty of games due to the Champions League and their EFL Cup run. Time will tell!

2024 Also Brought a Home Defeat to a Major Rival

Obviously there is a big difference between going out of the cup to a minnow and being eliminated by a very good side. This Man United team do not fall into that latter category but they remain a big rival and are capable of upping their game for a one-off clash.

Liverpool, are however a very good team and so losing to Jurgen Klopp’s men last term has to be viewed in context. Arsenal were at home, so would have expected to progress, but Klopp’s teams have had an excellent cup record and can beat anyone on their day so there was no shame in defeat.

The away team won 2-0 but the clash was goalless until late on. A Jakob Kiwior own goal broke the deadlock after 80 minutes and then Luis Diaz hit the Gunners with a very late counter in the fifth minute of added time. It was not really a reflection of the game, as Arsenal had missed several good chances and should, really, have been out of sight at half time.

Three More Early Exit Since 2020 Triumph

As said, Arsenal’s poor results in the FA Cup do now date back a decent while and they also went out in the third round in 2017/18 (losing 4-2 to second-tier Forest) and the fourth round the year after that (again to Man United, 3-1 at home). It is only really since their FA Cup win in 2020, when they beat Chelsea in the final, that more of a longer-term issue has set in.

Arsenal’s FA Cup Record 2013/14 to 2024/25

Season Stage Eliminated
2024/25 3rd Round
2023/24 3rd Round
2022/23 3rd Round
2021/22 3rd Round
2020/21 4th Round
2019/20 Winner
2018/19 4th Round
2017/18 3rd Round
2016/17 Winner
2015/16 Quarter-Finals
2014/15 Winner
2013/14 Winner

In 2020/21 they managed to get past Newcastle in the third round, in itself not the easiest draw, though it was at the Emirates. They won that one 2-0 but only after extra time. However, in the fourth round they contrived to lose 1-0 away at Southampton. A Gabriel own goal was the difference and gave the Saints their first FA Cup win over Arsenal ever, at the fifth attempt.

Twelve months on and the Gunners suffered an even more damning defeat, again to Nottingham Forest. As before, Forest were a Championship side and they managed to sneak a 1-0 win on home soil, Arsenal falling at the first hurdle.

In 2022/23 Arsenal had a cup run – all the way to the fourth round! In their first game in that season’s competition, they recorded a comfortable 3-0 win away at third-tier Oxford United. Their prize for that was a trip to Man City in the fourth round and the hosts, who would go on to win the treble that season, prevailed by a goal to nil.

Do Arsenal Have an FA Cup Problem?

Arsenal’s latest early FA Cup exit may be a blessing in disguise if they can win one or two of the other available pieces of silverware. That is a big if though. Looking more generally at their poor performances since 2017 (one win, three defeats in the fourth round and four in the third), it has been a mixed bag. Losses to Forest (twice) and Southampton were poor, but going out to the likes of Man City, Liverpool and Man United, even when some games have been at home, is just something that has to be accepted at times. That said, a kinder draw would no doubt be appreciated by the Gunners next season.

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