Hull City went to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday in the early kick off game in London.
Marco Silva included five of his signings in Elabdellaoui, Ranocchia, Grosicki, Markovic and Niasse in a game captained again by the imperious Huddlestone.
The first 5 minutes were even with good defensive work by City.
A stray pass by Huddlestone on 7 minutes almost let Arsenal in but the attempt was smothered out.
On 9 minutes a great move by Markovic who beat three players saw an inviting cross across the six yard box narrowly missed by Niasse.
Bellerin had a chance for Arsenal on 15 minutes but hit the side netting. Sanchez shot wide a minute later.
Robertson’s cross was cut out on 26 before Arsenal took the lead on 33 minutes. A shot by Gibbs was stopped on the line by Robertson, and the ball bouncing up off Jakupovic to Sanchez who clearly put the ball in the net with his hand. There was forward and downward movement with the arm and the goal should not have stood but it did.
Niasse and N’Diaye both worked hard to get City back on terms but to no avail.
HT Arsenal 1-0 Hull City
Neither side made any changes at halftime.
Maguire and Walcott were involved in an incident on 50 minutes when Walcott threw the ball for a corner when it was clearly a goal kick. Walcott argued with the referee and rightly got booked.
Gibbs was booked on 54 minutes for bringing down Markovic but in truth he was the last man and should have been sent off.
Evandro replaced Grosicki on 60 minutes and Elmo came on for Omar 5 minutes later.
Ranocchia who had played very well at the back was booked on 69 for a foul on Sanchez. 6 minutes later a dive by Sanchez when he lunged into Maguire was rightly punished with a yellow card.
On 77 minutes a header by Markovic was off target. Diamande replaced Huddlestone, City’s best player on 78 in an effort to pep up the attack.
Welbeck replaced Iwobi on 81 with Oxlade-Chamberlain also being substituted for Lucas. City were still in the game and a corner on 85 saw Diamande and Ranocchia get in each other’s way, the former heading wide.
A sweeping move by Arsenal in the second minute of injury time saw Jakupovic make his only mistake of the game. He was dragged out of his goal and the resultant cross was headed goal ward by Sanchez. Clucas caught the ball high up on his arm and the referee deemed it a penalty. In truth he did move his arm but the resulting red card and successful penalty were hard on City.
FT Arsenal 2-0 Hull City
So a cruel loss for City and they now enter a run of six games which are pivotal to their season. With Burnley, Swansea , Middlesbrough and West Ham at home and Leicester and Everton away they need to be looking at 12 points which would mean needing another 8 from the last seven games to reach 40 points and safely.
Tony Atkin, 11.2.17.
