Arsenal wary of underdogs Hull in FA Cup final

The Gunners don’t need any warning, says manager Wenger

LONDON: Arsenal have a gilt-edged opportunity to end their increasingly burdensome nine-year trophy drought on Saturday when the underachieving English giants meet Hull City in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Not since 2005, and an FA Cup final success on penalties against Manchester United in Cardiff, have Arsenal won a piece of silverware, and the frustration has become more pronounced with each passing season.

Portsmouth, Birmingham City, Swansea City and Wigan Athletic are among the teams to have tasted cup glory since Arsenal last won something, while United and Chelsea have amassed 25 trophies between them in that period.

Hull, who have never previously reached an FA Cup final and finished 16th in the Premier League, appear ideal pushovers, but Arsenal have learnt from bitter experience not to underestimate supposedly weaker opponents.

They lost to Birmingham in the 2011 League Cup final, after an 89th-minute mix-up between goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and Laurent Koscielny gifted their opponents the victory, and needed penalties to see off Wigan in this season's FA Cup semi-finals.

"I don't believe we need any warning against Hull,” said manager Arsene Wenger. “We know that it is the final and that Hull is a Premier League team. They can pass the ball and create chances.

"It's just down to us to perform well on the day of the game. We just want to focus on that."

It's a new experience for me: Hull manager


While victory would see Arsenal equal United's overall record of 11 FA Cup wins, Hull's trophy cabinet is completely devoid of major honours.

Based in Kingston-upon-Hull on England's northeast coast, the 110-year-old club is looking to cap a remarkable recovery from the brink of obscurity.

"It's a new experience for me as a manager and it's a wonderful achievement for the club and the city," said Birmingham manager Steve Bruce.

"It's a working-class city and if we can bring the cup back and give it something to shout about, it would be terrific."

Hull, who are already assured of a place in the Europa League, will be without cup-tied strikers Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long, while centre-back James Chester seems certain to miss out with a hamstring problem.