Wenger warns Cup favourites Arsenal

BRIGHTON, England: Arsene Wenger believes the weekend’s series of FA Cup shocks represent a “warning” for his Arsenal side.
The Cup-holders avoided joining several other Premier League clubs in making a surprise fourth-round exit with a 3-2 win away to second-tier Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday that booked their place in the last 16.
Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil and the brilliant Tomas Rosicky all scored for Arsenal, ensuring strikes from Brighton’s Chris O’Grady and Sam Baldock to make it 2-1 and then 3-2 respectively did little more than cause a few extra nerves for the visitors.
Arsenal are now one of just a handful of elite Premier League teams in Monday’s fifth-round draw, after Chelsea amazingly lost 4-2 to third-tier Bradford City and Manchester City were eliminated following a 2-0 defeat by Brighton’s divisional rivals Middlesbrough.
Wenger said he “couldn’t believe” those results and had to check them twice, but acknowledged they made his side favourites for the trophy alongside Manchester United, who have still to overcome fourth division Cambridge United in a replay, even if he was reluctant to look too far ahead.
“We will be one of the favourites because (Manchester) United will go through and some other Premier League clubs will go through but you can’t predict who will win it,” Wenger said.