The return of Aaron Ramsey has given Arsenal renewed energy at a crucial stage of the season

Published: 22 April, 2014
by RICHARD OSLEY 

Barclays Premier League
HULL CITY 0, ARSENAL 3

ARSENAL were inspired by Aaron Ramsey as they secured a vital win at Hull City on Sunday, ensuring the nail-biting run-off with Everton for the final Champions League place continues.

The Gunners lead the Toffees by just a point after both clubs came away from Easter with convincing wins.

In a dress rehearsal for next month’s FA Cup Final, Arsenal weathered an early storm from Hull before slowly taking command on the half-hour.

Ramsey opened the scoring with a free-flowing goal that had the hallmarks of Arsenal’s impressive early-season form and underlined what they have missed.

Together with Lukas Podolski, he provided an exciting link between the midfield and Olivier Giroud, who has laboured over the Past two months in the sole striker role while faster players around him have fallen injured.

Hull moaned that there may have been a foul in the build-up on Nikica Jelavic by Mikel Arteta on the first goal, but if it was, it would have been soft one. In the absence of a whistle, Santi Cazorla and the returning Mesut Ozil broke with speed to combine with Ramsey to make the breakthrough.

Seconds before half-time, Arsenal netted a re-assuring second, again with zippy passing play. Giroud’s centre was knocked down into path of Podolski, who thrashed the ball past Steve Harper.

Lukas Podolski scores Arsenal's third in the weekend win at Hull

The German claimed a second – his fourth in two matches – on 54 minutes, ending the game as a contest. Once more, Ramsey was among the creators. The Welshman’s close-range shot was pushed into the path of Podolski, who set himself and delivered a simple finish,

Arsenal had – belatedly when you consider how their title challenge has evaporated – looked like a team confident going forward again, full of tricks and flicks. They have Newcastle and West Brom at home to play, plus a last day trip to Norwich. Three wins will book a place in Europe’s elite competition but one slip could prove fatal for that ambition. 

Once Arsenal had left the KC Stadium with three points, Everton matched them with an assured 2-0 home win against Manchester United. Their remaining fixtures include an away-day at Southampton followed by the arrival of Manchester City at Goodison Park – who by then may have lost their stake in the title race. 

They may have looked tougher fixtures, but Arsene Wenger’s team have been spooked by the way the Merseysiders have cleared nearly all of the hurdles put in front of them in the final stretch.

Insisting that his team were only focussing on what their own games, Wenger admitted Arsenal had been more energetic in the victory against Hull City than in recent weeks. 

“It is important because we looked in a few games a bit toothless away from home,” he added. “To have that back is, of course, a threat for our opponents and it gives us opportunities to score.”

ARSENAL: Szczesny, Sagna, Monreal, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Ramsey, Cazorla, Ozil (Flamini 61), Arteta, Podolski (Sanogo 84), Giroud (Oxlade-Chamberlain 74)
Subs not used: Fabianski, Kallstrom, Jenkinson, Rosicky
Attendance: 24,762