Wenger called arrogant as Arsenal knocked out of FA Cup

"It's arrogant for anyone to think they're going to get past Nottingham easily," Chris Sutton told the station.BBC"If he knew the match would be difficult, why didn't he pick his strongest squad? Wenger certainly prioritized the League Cup over the FA Cup."

Arsene Wenger is the most successful manager in FA Cup history, having won the Cup seven times. Aston Villa legend George Ramsay and Alex Ferguson are next, with one and two fewer titles respectively. Of those currently working in the Premier League, only Jose Mourinho has won the world's oldest competition once, with Chelsea in 2006-07.

"Wenger forgot the intensity of a cup game," Sutton continued. "He expected the desire and determination of the young players, but forgot to put effective backup options on the bench. It was a clear arrogance on Wenger's part."

The Arsenal manager made nine changes to his squad for the trip to Nottingham on the evening of January 7. In response to criticism, the 68-year-old believes he made the right choice, as there were still nine Arsenal internationals on the pitch.

Arsenal's opponents in the Carabao Cup semi-final next Wednesday, Chelsea, also made nine changes when they played lower league Norwich City. The result was a 0-0 draw and a replay is expected in about two weeks.

"Wenger underestimated Nottingham and paid the price. He should have been more courageous in his team selection," Sutton concluded. The management cost Arsenal when they lost to the lower leagues and became former FA Cup champions.

Chris Sutton was a striker born in Nottingham who played from the 1990s to the 2000s. He made his name playing alongside Alan Shearer in the Blackburn attack, helping the team win the Premier League in the 1994-1995 season. After leaving Blackburn, Sutton played for Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham, and Aston Villa.

This famous player tried his hand at coaching at Lincoln City for more than half a year, from late 2009 to early 2010.