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Wenger relieved to still be in the FA Cup

Cesc Fabregas rescued Arsenal against Leeds © PA Photos

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ESPNsoccernet staff

Arsene Wenger said it would have been a real "shocker" had Arsenal crashed out of the FA Cup.

The Gunners trailed to Robert Snodgrass' second-half penalty until the 89th minute when Cesc Fabregas levelled from the spot. The 1-1 draw means the teams must resume battle at Elland Road.

"I must say at first that it was a very difficult game because it was a real cup game and Leeds were up for it, they played well," Wenger said. "It was the kind of game where you felt that it was important not to go 1-0 down.

"When we were 1-0 down I felt that Wojciech [Szczesny] kept us in the game with a good save from [Luciano] Becchio's header. We looked like we would come back, but we were short of time and it was important to keep the momentum and not to go out today because that would have been a shocker."

Wenger continued: "Even when we equalised, we still had three chances at 1-1 but we couldn't take them. At least we are still in the cup and hopefully we can do it at Leeds."

With a two-legged Carling Cup semi-final ahead, and also fighting for the Premier League ahead of the resumption of European action against Barcelona, Wenger will not have wanted to add another fixture to their congested schedule. However, after again failing to make the most of first-half chances, the final outcome could have been much worse.

"It was not exactly the wish I had before the game but it was the second worst wish," Wenger said, having made nine changes from the team which drew 0-0 with Manchester City. "The worst would have been to go out.

"We go to Ipswich on Wednesday, we play West Ham on Saturday and then the replay of the FA Cup is after that. It is a good warning that we got today, but we knew before the game that Leeds went to Old Trafford last year and won, and they had a draw at Tottenham.

"Overall this team have belief in that competition, from last year certainly. They did very well, very aggressive but in a good way, not a negative way, they closed us down everywhere and we had problems to pass through their lines."

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