Arsenal treble too much for Hull

Arsenal remained third in the Premier League with a 3-0 victory over Hull City at the Emirates Stadium here on Saturday.

Goals from Denilson, Eduardo and Abou Diaby allowed Arsene Wenger’s side to move within two points of second-placed reigning champions Manchester United.

The Londoners, who also have a game in hand, were helped, however, by a fine penalty save from goalkeeper Manuel Almunia with the score at 1-0.

Arsenal had to make do without Cesc Fabregas, their captain, because of a hamstring injury.

The Spain midfielder did not play the last time these two sides met at the Emirates but was in the headlines nonetheless.

That occasion – a 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final win for the Gunners in March – saw him accused of spitting at Tigers’ assistant manager Brian Horton after the final whistle.

Hull’s previous visit had been memorable too as their 2-1 win in September last year took them up to third in the Premier League.

Craig Fagan dragged an early chance wide for the visitors before Almunia, captain in Fabregas’s absence, had to get behind Stephen Hunt’s free-kick.

It took Arsenal a while to reply, with Diaby seeing a drive from the edge of the box deflected behind and Sami Nasri then firing straight at City goalkeeper Boaz Myhill.

Eduardo then curled an effort just past Myhill’s far post before Hunt foiled his attempt to steal in behind the Hull defence with a finely-tuned penalty box intervention.

Andrey Arshavin, the Russia forward, had been quiet but came to life with a run that ended with a shot from distance that comfortably cleared the crossbar.

Nasri and Hunt were booked for their part in a bad-tempered pushing match that involved plenty of other members of both teams after the Arsenal man had stood on Richard Garcia’s foot.

George Boateng was penalised for a foul on Nasri deep into first-half stoppage time and at last the Hull resistance was broken, with Denilson sending a perfectly struck free-kick over the wall and beyond Myhill.

Nicky Barmby, who had been first to react angrily to the Nasri incident, was booked after the half-time whistle and replaced by Seyi Olofinjana.

Eduardo missed a great chance to make to 2-0 early in the second period when he failed to hit the target despite a fine first touch to take Arshavin’s pass away from his challenger.

Hull though were awarded a penalty in the 55th minute when Mikael Silvestre was adjudged to have pulled Fagan back by the shirt.

Giovanni, who had scored in last season’s win, saw his spot-kick parried by Almunia but looked set to convert the rebound only for Hunt to get in the way and head wide.

Within four minutes Eduardo made that error all the worse for Hull by doubling Arsenal’s lead with a simple close-range finish after Diaby, having exchanged passes with Alex Song on the left of the box, had set him up.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger introduced youngsters Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott in the knowledge that victory was all but assured.

And Diaby then made it 3-0 with a rising drive in the 80th minute to confirm Hull’s demise, the Frenchman exchanging passes with Arshavin before shooting over Myhill.

Walcott missed a chance when he fired wide after Denilson’s long ball over the top had unhinged the Hull defence but by then Arsenal had already capitalised on Fulham’s 3-0 defeat of United across London earlier on Saturday.