Tune in to BT Sport 2 at 12pm for live coverage of Arsenal v Hull City or watch via the BT Sport app or online.
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The draw was down at The Deep here in Hull and Alan Shearer told me that the first two out of the hat in rehearsal were Arsenal and Hull City. That’s for me to know. These are good young players who can thrive with what we can give them here’. It would have been a problem had we not won because it would have been a massive disappointment for everybody.
“Usually I respect my contracts and I fight for everything and to say after 17 years [your future] can depend just on one cup final means it is better you don’t go to the final then”.
Arsenal have already played one six-pointer “title decider” against Leicester last week, but our traditional rivals Tottenham Hotspur have also been winning consistently and quietly moved up to equal on points with us in second place in the Premiership. “We could do with a game behind closed doors for him, although he may possibly make the bench at the weekend”.
Hull City manager Steve Bruce is sick of the sight of Arsenal – but it is the thought of a fourth FA Cup clash with them in less than two years that really sticks in his craw.
Bruce also confirmed that 16-year-old Josh Tymon would be in the squad but Chuba Akpom and Isaac Hayden will be ineligible to play, because Arsenal is their parent club.
If Arsenal do go on to win the Cup again this year, they will become the first team since Blackburn Rovers 130 years ago in 1886 to win it three times in a row.
The Football Association (FA) and Premier League clubs are considering a number of measures, including scrapping FA Cup replays, in order to trim English football’s busy fixture list, according to British media reports.
The France worldwide revealed last week that he was frustrated Wenger had denied him the chance to join Louis van Gaal’s side, but the Gunners boss stood by his decision.
Wenger has claimed he’ll field a strong side but I still think we’ll see plenty of key men rested ahead of the Barcelona game.
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Meanwhile, Gabriel Paulista will not feature against the Championship side but Laurent Koscielny could return if he passes a fitness test on Friday.
