Arsenal will play Hull at the KCOM stadium. The Gunners will be hoping for a win after a dismissal first game against Liverpool. Though there is no fresh injury concerns for the gunners, Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott both require a late fitness test before kickoff. Aaron Ramsey and Gabriel have resumed training but are expected to miss the fixture. Danny Welbeck and Per Mertesacker are still some way from joining the squad. Meanwhile, New signing Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscienly look set to continue their partnership. Santi Cazorla may well be awarded a rest as he played both games, but the Spaniard can’t be counted out as he scored the winner against Southampton and had two assists to his name so far this season.
But the Tigers are going to be no pushovers as recently crowned ‘manager of the month’, caretaker manager Mike Phelan and his men look to extend their bright start to the campaign. They sit just one place behind Arsenal at 8th. They’ve had a positive start to the campaign with wins a piece against champions Leicester City and Welsh side Swansea City and a defeat against Manchester United. They’ll surely make it a tough trip for the Gunners.
Last time out, Robert Snodgrass salvaged a point deep into stoppage time against Burnley with a curling free-kick. Phelan will have to contend without the injured quartet of Allan McGregor, Alex Bruce, Michael Dawson and Moses Odubajo, as they remain the only long absentees from the lineup.
Wenger said in his pre-match conference mentioned that Petr Cech would start ahead of Ospina while Giroud and Walcott were to be assessed late. On being asked about any progress in contract talks with Sanchez and Ozil, he bluntly said no.
Meanwhile, Phelan said, “There is a bit of belief now and hopefully we can cement our place outside the bottom area of the league. If you get in that area it can be difficult, so we have to be in the frame of mind that we can go to the next level. Arsenal are a fabulous team with a certain way of playing football and they challenge you all of the time in different areas of the field.”
Probable Line-ups,
Hull City (4-1-4-1): Jakupovic, Robertson, Davies, Livermore, Elmohamady, Meyler, Huddlestone, Mason, Diomande, Snodgrass, Hernández.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Cech, Monreal, Koscielny, Mustafi, Bellerín, Xhaka, Cazorla, Sánchez, Özil, Pérez, Giroud.
