Many would not have predicted this at the start of the season. Yes, Arsenal are 4 points clear at the top with 13 games played this season. Gone are those days of beautiful football with fragile defense. This Arsenal team is more balanced with good attacking and defensive setup than the previous teams. Hull City travel to Emirates later tonight with a mammoth task on their shoulders – getting something out of the game that is.
Walcott is backInjury & Team News
Apparently, when Szczesny, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs and Sagna played together, Arsenal have not a single conceded a goal in 470 minutes of premier league action. That is some extraordinary stat. But this effective unit will not play together today as Sagna was ruled out of the game with a slight hamstring problem. Jenkinson is expected to replace the French right back while Spanish left back Monreal may feature instead of Gibbs. Even the likes of Ramsey and Ozil may given a rest. Theo Walcott will mostly get his first start since his injury setback.
For Hull City, Paul McShane and Sone Aluko will miss the trip to North London.
Possible starting lineups
Arsenal: Szczesny; Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Arteta, Rosicky, Wilshere, Cazorla, Walcott; Giroud
Hull: McGregor; Figueroa, Davies, Rosenior; Elmohamady, Meyler, Huddlestone, Livermore, Brady, Boyd; Sagbo
Match Facts
- Arsenal have won eight of the last nine matches against the Tigers in all competitions (W8 D0 L1).
- Hull City have won just one of their last 30 Barclays Premier League away games (W1 D7 L22).
- Hull City were the first away team to concede the opening goal but come back to win a Barclays Premier League game at the Emirates Stadium (2-1 in Sept 2008).
- The Gunners have kept five clean sheets in their last six games in all competitions, conceding just one goal in the other match (0-1 at Man Utd).
- Wojciech Szczesny has the best saves to shots ratio (81%) in the Premier League this season (min 16 shots on target faced).
Match facts courtesy: Yahoo Sport
Recent form
Arsenal: WWWLWW
Hull: LLWLLW
Prediction
An easy win for the league leaders.
Arsenal 3 Hull City 0