Premier League
HullHull City1ArsenalArsenal3

Hull City 1-3 Arsenal

By Marc HigginsonBBC Sport
Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey has had a hand in seven goals (three goals, four assists) in his last six Premier League appearances
  • Arsenal level on points with Man City
  • Gunners also have game in hand
  • Sanchez now has 24 goals this season
  • Hull one point above bottom three

Arsenal moved level on points with second-placed Manchester City and heightened Hull's relegation worries with a superb display at KC Stadium.

The Gunners were sensational in the first half and Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring with a deflected free-kick.

Aaron Ramsey netted the second with another deflected strike before setting up Sanchez to beat keeper Steve Harper.

Arsenal's 'focus & fluency' please Wenger

Stephen Quinn's header gave Hull hope, but the defeat sees the Tigers slip to fourth-bottom on goal difference.

Hull drop below Leicester and to within a place of the Premier League's relegation zone ahead of Saturday's home game against bottom club Burnley, but they will be cheered by the resolve they showed in the second half.

They went into the game buoyed by victories against Crystal Palace and Liverpool, but they could do nothing to prevent a slick Arsenal side dominating the first half.

The Gunners enjoyed 83% possession in the first 10 minutes but, for all their ball retention, they looked just as much of a threat on the break.

Match facts
Arsenal named an unchanged XI for the fourth time in a row in the Premier League - the last time they did this was in March-April 1996.No player has assisted as many Premier League goals as Santi Cazorla (28) since he made his PL debut in August 2012.
Hull have conceded more goals from outside the box than any other side in the Premier League this season (13).Arsenal picked up their 200th Premier League away win with this victory - only Man Utd (238) have won more.

With Santi Cazorla sliding cute passes through and Ramsey causing problems when driving inside from the right, it was no surprise when the visitors took the lead. Sanchez dusted himself down after being fouled on the edge of the box and bent in a free-kick via Michael Dawson's head.

There was also an element of fortune about the second Gunners goal, as Ramsey's clipped effort looped over Harper after taking a deflection off Robbie Brady.

Cazorla's sublime pass set up the second, but Ramsey's assist for the third was even better - the Welsh midfielder playing a reverse ball inside the Hull defence and Sanchez had the simple task of rounding Harper and putting the game beyond doubt.

Difficult night for Hull - Bruce

The Gunners had plenty of chances in the second half - either side of Quinn's header from Ahmed Elmohamady's deep cross - but they could not take them as they stretched their excellent run of form to just one loss in the last 14.

A further boost came in the form of Jack Wilshere, who came off the bench for his first appearance since November.

The England midfielder impressed with a trademark jinking run, and also saw a shot blocked after a late run into the box.

The north London side, who have a game in hand on Manchester City, are in control of the race for the runners-up spot behind champions Chelsea and are all but assured of a top-four finish.

They also have an FA Cup final against Aston Villa to look forward to on 30 May.

Alexis Sanchez
Sanchez has been involved in 24 PL goals for Arsenal this season (16 goals, 8 assists) - the last Arsenal player to be involved in more in a single PL season was Robin van Persie (39) in 2011-12
Stephen Quinn
Stephen Quinn netted his first Premier League goal since January 2007
Hull City fans
Some Hull supporters protested against the club's owner during the game

Line-ups

Hull

Formation 3-5-2

  • 22Harper
  • 5Chester
  • 21Dawson
  • 15McShane
  • 27El Mohamady
  • 14LivermoreBooked at 23minsSubstituted forMeylerat 45'minutes
  • 8Huddlestone
  • 29QuinnSubstituted forJelavicat 81'minutes
  • 11Brady
  • 28N'DoyeBooked at 30mins
  • 24AlukoSubstituted forRobertsonat 65'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1McGregor
  • 2Rosenior
  • 4Bruce
  • 7Meyler
  • 9Hernández
  • 18Jelavic
  • 26Robertson

Arsenal

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 13Ospina
  • 39Bellerin
  • 4Mertesacker
  • 6Koscielny
  • 18Monreal
  • 34Coquelin
  • 19Cazorla
  • 16RamseySubstituted forWilshereat 68'minutes
  • 11Özil
  • 17Sánchez
  • 12GiroudSubstituted forWalcottat 86'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Szczesny
  • 3Gibbs
  • 5Gabriel
  • 7Rosicky
  • 10Wilshere
  • 14Walcott
  • 20Flamini
Referee:
Lee Mason
Attendance:
23,628

Match Stats

Home TeamHullAway TeamArsenal
Possession
Home32%
Away68%
Shots
Home8
Away22
Shots on Target
Home1
Away9
Corners
Home0
Away5
Fouls
Home8
Away11

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Hull City 1, Arsenal 3.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Hull City 1, Arsenal 3.

  3. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Andrew Robertson (Hull City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by David Meyler.

  4. Post update

    Attempt missed. Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Santiago Cazorla following a fast break.

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. Theo Walcott (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Héctor Bellerín.

  6. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Jack Wilshere (Arsenal) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mesut Özil.

  7. Post update

    Offside, Hull City. James Chester tries a through ball, but Robbie Brady is caught offside.

  8. Post update

    Attempt missed. Michael Dawson (Hull City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Tom Huddlestone following a set piece situation.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Francis Coquelin (Arsenal).

  10. Post update

    Nikica Jelavic (Hull City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  11. Post update

    Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Andrew Robertson.

  12. Post update

    Hand ball by Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal).

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, Arsenal. Theo Walcott replaces Olivier Giroud.

  14. Post update

    Attempt missed. Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left.

  15. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Jack Wilshere (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  16. Post update

    Attempt saved. Héctor Bellerín (Arsenal) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Olivier Giroud.

  17. Post update

    Attempt saved. Santiago Cazorla (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Alexis Sánchez.

  18. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jack Wilshere.

  19. Substitution

    Substitution, Hull City. Nikica Jelavic replaces Stephen Quinn.

  20. Post update

    Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Michael Dawson.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Monday 4th May 2015

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Chelsea35258269274283
2Man City35217771363570
3Arsenal34217666333370
4Man Utd35198859352465
5Liverpool351871049381161
6Tottenham35177115550558
7Southampton351761248282057
8Swansea35158124344-153
9West Ham351211124342147
10Stoke35138143944-547
11Everton351111134646044
12Crystal Palace35119154248-642
13West Brom351010153346-1340
14Aston Villa3598182950-2135
15Newcastle3598183660-2435
16Leicester3597193954-1534
17Hull35810173348-1534
18Sunderland34615132850-2233
19QPR3576223961-2227
20Burnley35511192653-2726
View full Premier League table