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Wenger vows to stay united and fight after FA Cup exit

Updated on: 20 February,2012 11:53 AM IST |
PA Sport |

Arsene Wenger vows Arsenal will soldier on despite 0-2 humiliation by Sunderland in FA Cup fifth round

Arsene Wenger vows Arsenal will soldier on despite 0-2 humiliation by Sunderland in FA Cup fifth round

Arsene Wenger vowed Arsenal would "stay united and fight" after a 2-0 loss to Sunderland in the fifth round of the FA Cup that almost certainly condemned them to a seventh straight season without a trophy.

Sunderland midfielder Kieran Richardson scores against Arsenal during
Saturday's FA Cup fifth round match at The Stadium of Light in Sunderland.
Arsenal lost 0-2. Pic/Getty Images

Kieran Richardson took advantage of a poor clearance to lash in Sunderland's opener in the 40th minute before more shoddy Arsenal play culminated in a 77th-minute own goal from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

It has been another terrible week for the Gunners, who were all but eliminated from the Champions League in midweek with a 4-0 first-leg defeat at AC Milan, while the best they can hope for in the Premier League appears to be fourth place.

Wenger said: "We have to take the criticism on board, stay together and face the critics. The only response in our job is to stay united and fight and focus on the next game. It's very difficult tonight to say where it leaves us and what we will do, let's focus to finish well in the championship and fight as well, even if it's a small possibility, in the Champions League."

Spurs 0-0 Stevenage
Premier League high-flyers Tottenham Hotspur were held to a shock goalless draw away to third tier Stevenage in yesterday's fifth round tie and face a replay to reach the quarter-finals.

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