Everything you need to know ahead of the Premier League clash at Emirates Stadium on Saturday
It has been a dismal week for Arsene Wenger’s side and fan discontent has emerged as a talking point across social media following the focus of one banner urging him to leave, but the Frenchman denied his future is at stake in his pre-match press conference.
Wenger: We can't compete without fans
"I believe what is important is we focus on the next game and do not give too much importance on one fan," he said.
"It's not me at stake, it's the season of Arsenal that is at stake. In a football club it's important you have different opinions. What matters is not the opinions of people, what matters is the next result and how we respond to different situations.
“I want the fans to be behind the team. But at the same time, I am not fool enough not to know that the first priority is us and our dynamic inside the team that will create and facilitate the support of our fans. That is down to the quality of our performance”
Wenger: My future is not at stake
The Gunners' midfield crisis does look like it's beginning to ease, with Mohamed Elneny returning from the Africa Cup of Nations and Granit Xhaka serving the final match of his four-game suspension.
Hector Bellerin faces a late fitness test to determine whether he can be involved against Hull. The right-back sustained a head injury in the match at Stamford Bridge last weekend and hasn't been training over the past week.
Danny Welbeck could start ahead of the upcoming Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, while Elneny seems likely to return alongside Francis Coquelin in midfield, despite an assured appearance from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in that role against Chelsea.
'Ozil not good enough for Invincibles'
Santi Cazorla is the only long-term absentee on the sidelines, with an expected return date pencilled in at six to eight weeks.
Granit Xhaka is serving the last of his four-game suspension.
Similarly, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will watch his fourth consecutive match from the stands after being charged by the FA following his misconduct towards the end of the Gunners' victory over Burnley
Bellerin’s inevitable absence means that Gabriel will almost certainly continue at right-back, unless Wenger decides to give Carl Jenkinson or Mathieu Debuchy a surprise start.
Wenger isn't expected to rest players ahead of the European tie in Munich next week and will field the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez against Marco Silva's side.
Hummels gives Arsenal hope
A decision on who should lead the line is likely to be between Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck, with the latter in with a shout to get the nod after an impressive cameo at Chelsea.
Hull have kept two clean sheets in February - as many as they'd kept in their previous 26 Premier League games combined.
Silva targets another Arsenal win
Marco Silva has got the Tigers looking solid at the back, but captain Michael Dawson looks set to miss out through injury.
Abel Hernandez, who has scored three goals in eight appearances, is also ruled out of the game although Ahmed Elmohamady is available after returning from Africa Cup of Nations duty.
Premier League table
The departed Robert Snodgrass is their top scorer with seven goals in the Premier League so far.
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Arsenal have won seven of their last eight Premier League meetings
with Hull (D1) since losing their first game against the Tigers in the
competition, back in September 2008 (1-2 at the Emirates).
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Since that 2-1 victory, Hull are winless in 13 games against the
Gunners in all competitions, losing 11 (D2) including the 2014 FA Cup
final.
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Alexis Sanchez has had a hand in six goals in three league games against Hull (five goals, one assist).
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Sanchez is one of three Arsenal players to average 2+ goal
involvements per game in the Premier League against a particular
opponent (minimum of three appearances against them) - Ian Wright
against Ipswich (eight goals and three assists in five games) and Lukas
Podolski against West Ham (four goals and four assists in four games).
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Marco Silva won on his only previous visit to the Emirates — 3-2
with Olympiakos in the Champions League last season. He's the only
manager to lead a Greek side to victory away on English soil in the
Champions League/European Cup.
- Arsenal have won 41% of the games Francis Coquelin has started in all competitions this season (9/22) - without him in the starting XI, they have won all 13 (100%).
Kick off is at 12:30pm on Saturday 11th February and the match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports 1 .
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