Hull 1 Arsenal 4: Tigers' heart and tenacity evident in defeat

After the wonder of the opening month of the season, when Hull wrote a compelling script to the delight of those not just of a black and amber persuasion but also those who plump for the underdog, the real world finally came to the fore.

It was games like Saturday that the pragmatic Tiger Nation would have envisaged going through from time to time this season when the fixtures were unveiled.

And it would have come as no surprise that Hull’s first heavy seasonal loss was inflicted by 
Arsenal, who would rank the KCOM Stadium as probably their preferred top-flight destination of choice away from the Emirates.

Arsene Wenger – named as Gunners manager almost exactly 20 years to the day – certainly would, with the cerebral Frenchman enjoying himself once again in the soon-to-be city of culture.

Arsenal’s sixth straight win at the KCOM – and the second successive time they have hit four goals – was wholly convincing. But not without its drama either.

That arrived in the 40th minute when Hull, 1-0 down, were reduced to 10 men with Jake Livermore harshly and erroneously dismissed for what referee Roger East deemed to be a deliberate handball when Francis Coquelin’s effort hit his arm.

Replays showed that goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic had covered the shot and that Livermore had not stopped a certain goal.

It effectively ended the game as a competitive contest, regardless of the fact that Alexis Sanchez saw his penalty impressively saved by Jakupovic.

Without the need of a man advantage, Arsenal had moved through the gears swiftly and effortlessly in a dominant first half that saw the ball zipped around instinctively and purposefully in the final third by Ozil, Cazorla, Sanchez and Iwobi et al.

Arsenal continued to paint pretty pictures on the restart, headlined by a lovely second goal from Theo Walcott, and while Hull did hint at a shock late rally after Robert Snodgrass’s 78th-minute spot-kick, it proved brief with further goals from Sanchez and substitute Granit Xhaka emphasising the London club’s command.

For Hull, it was ultimately a case of taking some medicine. But their tenacity and heart could not be faulted, exemplified by some warm applause from knowledgeable home fans at the final whistle – with the scoreline a little harsh on the hosts.

Echoing that sentiment, Ahmed Elmohamady said: “It is disappointing. It should not have been four. In the first half, we should have scored at least one goal and after the sending-off it was difficult.

“We were playing against big players for Arsenal and they took their chances very well.

“But this does not derail our season at all. We still have confidence and it is another tough one next week with Liverpool away.

“Mick (Phelan) said after the game that we have to keep our heads up and not lose confidence because we still played some very good football. We have to go again.

“We have played against some top teams this season and now it is another two with Liverpool and Chelsea. We have to learn from our mistakes.”

On Livermore’s dismissal, he added: “It is harsh, to be honest. It was too close to Jake.

“It is hard to play against Arsenal with 11 men, so they were going to hurt us when we went down to 10 men.”

Arsenal were viewed as lucky in their Champions League draw at Paris Saint Germain and last-gasp league win over Southampton seven days earlier. Not here.

The visitors soon got into the groove and unhinged Hull with their movement and craft.

It yielded one first-half goal when it should have been more, with a mixture of poor finishing and resolute last-ditch defending, personified by the redoubtable Curtis Davies, thwarting Arsenal.

Sanchez hurriedly fired over early on before the Chilean was the beneficiary of a deflection on 17 minutes that enabled the Gunners to go in front.

It came when Iwobi’s rebound seemed to clip his toe en route to goal, with all this coming after Jakupovic’s poor parry following Walcott’s cross-shot. Arsenal sensed blood and Andrew Robertson atoned for his error with a saving tackle to deny Walcott before Mesut Ozil spurned a golden chance, ballooning a rebound over after Jakupovic brilliantly denied Iwobi.

Hull’s only first-half chance saw Petr Cech deny Snodgrass before controversy reigned when Livermore walked for handball, only for Jakupovic to block impressively Sanchez’s penalty.

A splendid dinked second from Walcott from Iwobi’s lovely backheel smacked of class to make it 2-0 on 55 minutes with Arsenal in cruise mode ahead of a surprise development on 78 minutes.

Substitute Diermerci Mbokanwas caught by the onrushing Cech, with East belatedly pointing to the spot after being alerted by linesman Darren Cann.

Snodgrass coolly sent Cech the wrong way, but five minutes later, Sanchez – with his sixth goal in five matches against Hull – dispelled all thoughts of an unlikely home point, blasting home after Walcott’s effort was blocked.

A sweet stoppage-time long-ranger from substitute Granit Xhaka, afforded space by the tiring hosts, then proved too much for Jakupovic, to make it 4-1.

Tough on the hosts, but Hull’s seasonal fate will not revolve around games against Arsenal.