Nottingham Forest 4-2 Arsenal: Eric Lichaj brace – including a 20-yard wondergoal – and two converted penalties see holders shocked in FA Cup classic

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No manager has lifted the FA Cup more than Arsene Wenger and in recent years the famous old trophy has so often proved his salvation.

When the Premier League title started to slide out of reach and the Champions League guarantee vanished it always remained a trusty companion.

Wenger has won it seven times, including three in the last four seasons, but this a painful end to the romance on the banks of the River Trent. 

Nottingham Forest celebrate with Eric Lichaj after he gave them a surprise lead over the FA Cup holders after 20 minutes

Lichaj needed to only connect with Kieran Dowell's free-kick to guide the ball past Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina

Lichaj regained the lead for Nottingham Forest with an incredible volley from 20 yards on the stroke of half-time

Ben Brereton of Nottingham Forest puts his side two goals ahead from the spot and send the City Ground into raptures

Brereton celebrates scoring Nottingham Forest's third goal with an affectionate Joe Worrall rewarding him with a kiss

Nottingham Forest's Kieran Dowell scored Nottingham Forest's fourth goal but appeared to kick the ball twice in the process

Arsenal players appeal to the referee but Jonathan Moss points to the centre circle to signal Nottingham Forest's fourth goal

Arsenal captain Per Mertesacker looks dejected as his team crash out of the competition they have won a record 13 times

MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS AND MATCH ZONE 

Nottingham Forest: Smith 6.5; Lichaj 7.5, Worrall 6.5, Mancienne 7, Traore 6.5; Vaughan 7, Osborn 7; Cash 7.5 (McKay 87 min), Dowell 7 (Mills 90+3), Clough 6.5 (Walker 56, 6); Brereton 8.

Subs not used: Henderson, Bouchalakis, Cummings, Vellios.

Goals: Lichaj 20, 44; Brereton 64 pen, Dowell 87 pen

Bookings: None

Sent off: Worrall

Arsenal: Ospina 6.5; Debuchy 6 (Akpom 87), Mertesacker 6, Holding 5, Maitland-Niles 6; Willock 5 (Nketiah 65, 6), Elneny 5; Walcott 5, Iwobi 5, Nelson 5; Welbeck 5.

Subs not used: Macey, Chambers, Osei-Tutu, Dasilva, Reine-Adelaide.

Goals: Mertesacker 23, Welbeck 79

Bookings: Debuchy, Ospina, Mertesacker

Referee: Jonathan Moss

Attendance: 27,182 

Eric Lihaj scores his second goal of the game with a sumptuous volley from 20 yards. For more from Match Zone, click HERE

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Many times the Arsenal boss has rested his stars, used fringe players and blooded youngsters in the domestic cup competitions.

Seldom, however, has he seen them blown away quite as comprehensively as this by a team from outside the top-flight.

And, for the first time in more than 21 years in the English football, Wenger tasted defeat in the FA Cup third round.

His team were simply unable to match Nottingham Forest for aggression, energy and desire.

Forest led at half-time through two goals from full-back Eric Lichaj, added two penalties in the second-half and survived the late dismissal of centre-half Joe Worrall.

And experienced players such as David Opsina, Per Mertesacker, Mohamed Elneny, Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott - most of them deployed down the spine of Arsenal's team – failed to get any grip on the game.

Wenger must have squirmed in his comfortable seat as he watched it unfold and returned to London with the jubilant taunts of the Forest fans in the stand around him still ringing in his ears. 

Nottingham Forest players have one final team talk in the centre of the pitch prior to kick off at the City Ground on Sunday

Arsene Wenger takes his place in the stands as part of a three-game touchline ban with former assistant Pat Rice behind him

Theo Walcott fluffed an early chance to give Arsenal the lead after failing to properly connect with the ball when shooting

Nottingham Forest star Lichaj is left completely unmarked and nudges home a free-kick to give his side the lead

Lichaj of Nottingham Forest celebrates his first goal of the game as his team-mates run to join him during the first-half

Mertesacker (left) brings Arsenal back on level terms with a well-taken strike within three minutes of the opening goal

The German defender celebrates a rare goal along with his fellow team-mates to bring Arsenal back on level terms

Arsenal's second-string performed feebly, lacking composure up front and vulnerable at the back as they conceded four to a Forest side without a permanent manager and wallowing in the depths of the Championship.

There was nothing to for the manager to do but swallow his medicine, reference a demanding fixture list and his running battles with officialdom and move briskly on to the first leg of the Carabou Cup semi-final against Chelsea.

Nottingham Forest and their caretaker manager Gary Brazil deserve to bask in their victory.

Forest opened with terrific energy and lifted the home crowd as a young strike-force caused problems with their pace and mobility.

Teenage striker Ben Brereton was too much for centre-halves Mertesacker and Rob Holding.

The Championship team took the lead midway through the first-half with a close-range header by Lichaj from a free-kick delivered from the Forest right by the excellent Kieran Dowell.

The lead lasted only three minutes before an untidy equaliser was conceded from a free-kick in a similar position on the Arsenal left.

Walcott took the set-piece and his cross was headed against the post by Holding and Mertesacker pounced to stab the rebound across the line. 

Arsenal goalkeeper Ospina is attended to by defender Mathieu Debuchy after he appears to dislocate his finger

Lichaj watches as his volley heads towards the Arsenal goal to give Nottingham Forest a 2-1 lead over the FA Cup holders

Lichaj (left) celebrates after scoring twice in a game for the first time in his professional career to give Forest a 2-1 lead

Alex Iwobi and Mertesacker react with disbelief as referee Jon Moss awards Nottingham Forest a penalty in the second half

Nottingham Forest's Ben Brereton scores their third goal from the penalty spot with a well-placed effort into the right corner

Brereton celebrates scoring his side's third goal of the game in front of the fans at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon

Mertesacker lifted the trophy after a heroic defensive performances against Chelsea at Wembley in May and his goal ought to have stabilised the tie for the holders.

Instead, it was Forest who came again, seizing control in midfield and grabbing a crucial second before the interval.

Matty Cash's cross from the right was flicked on by Brereton and both Walcott and Holding missed opportunities to clear.

Holding's header reached Lichaj on the edge of the penalty box, and the American full-back took it down on his chest before firing a sweet volley into the top corner.

Having scored four goals in his previous 181 appearances, Lichaj suddenly had two goals inside half-an-hour and made a cheeky bid for a hat-trick when Forest were awarded a penalty for a trip by Holding on Cash.

'My wife said if I score a hat-trick anytime this season I would get a dog, so I was trying to get the penalty,' said Lichaj afterwards. 'I won't repeat what Ben said to me but he told me no sorry.' 

Debuchy fouls former Arsenal player Armand Traore in the box to give Nottingham Forest their second penalty of the match

Kieran Dowell appeared to kick the ball twice as he converted Nottingham Forest's second penalty and sealed the game

Arsenal goalkeeper Ospina appeals to the linesman after claiming Dowell kicked the ball twice in converting his penalty kick

Brereton converted with confidence to give Forest a 3-1 lead and it was a goal the 18-year-old deserved for his direct and fearless approach.

Welbeck pulled a goal back after a mistake by goalkeeper Jordan Smith who appeared to have claimed the ball easily as he slid out at the Arsenal striker's feet.

Somehow it slithered from his grasp and rolled to Welbeck who gratefully side-footed a shot into an unguarded net but renewed hope for the holders did not last long.

Former Arsenal full-back Armand Traore burst forward from left back to be cut down from behind by Mathieu Debuchy as he prepared to shoot.

Again, Moss pointed to the spot. This time, it was Dowell who stepped up to sweep the ball high into the net.

Forest's celebrations were interrupted when referee Moss went to talk to an assistant amid protests from Arsenal players but the goal was awarded and there was no way back for Wenger's team.

Even a red card for Worrall for a midfield foul on Chuba Akpom failed to spoil a memorable result at the City Ground.

Mertesacker looks furious as he appeals to Jonathan Moss to rule out Nottingham Forest's seoncd penalty for a double kick

Moss consults with his assistant referee on the fourth goal scored by Dowell from the penalty spot before awarding it

Dowell celebrators the fourth goal for Nottingham Forest against the FA Cup holders Arsenal to seal a famous victory

Wenger looks dejected as he sits next to Jens Lehamann in the stands and watches Arsenal fall even further behind in the tie