Fuller (left) came out on top in his battle with Campbell

Arsene Wenger admitted Arsenal's tough upcoming league fixture list was key to his decision to select an inexperienced side against Stoke in the FA Cup.

Manager Wenger started with only two first-team regulars in Cesc Fabregas and Denilson as Arsenal lost 3-1.

"I don't regret the side I put out," said Wenger. "We had 10 injuries and a very difficult programme coming up."

That league schedule sees Arsenal face Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool during a 14-day spell.

Arsenal, who last won the Premier League in 2004, have surged back into the title race by winning eight times in an unbeaten 10-game spell following a 3-0 home defeat by Chelsea.

"We have four very important games now in a short space of time, that is what we are focusing on," added Wenger.

"Our selection was simple - take a look at our schedule and you must see we cannot play the same 11 every time. That is for sure.

"But if you do not win in such situations, it is my fault. I can only stand by the team I selected in the circumstances, we lost but there was not much room for manoeuvre in terms of players available."

For Arsene to say we were dangerous is a compliment. That's enough for me Stoke manager Tony Pulis

Ricardo Fuller's header gave Stoke an early lead, before Denilson equalised for Arsenal just before the interval.

But a second Fuller header and a slick Dean Whitehead finish gave Stoke a deserved win to put them into the fifth round.

"The game was more physical than technical, and physically they were stronger than us in a very simple game," said Wenger.

"We were exposed to a fight, and some of our players were a bit young and could not cope with it.

"It is too easy to say that there were players that didn't play who could have won us the game.

"When Eduardo, Andrey Arshavin and Aaron Ramsey came on it was 1-1."

Stoke manager Tony Pulis revealed he had been thinking of taking Fuller off before he scored his second goal.

606: DEBATE This was a massive defeat for Arsenal and in my opinion was our best chance of silverware GarwoodGunner

"He may have seen what I was going to do and he made sure he stayed on with that goal," said Pulis.

"He was outstanding, as was Mamady Sidibe who put in a tremendous amount of work that people do not always see.

"For Arsene to say we were dangerous is a compliment. That's enough for me."

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