Prediction: Arsenal vs Hull City

Arsenal take to Wembley hoping to end the nine-year wait for a major trophy with Hull City the final obstacle on their road to the FA Cup title. The Tigers are clearly the underdogs here, but given that Steve Bruce’s side have nothing to lose, they can be trusted to make life difficult for their more illustrious opponents.

What started as a very promising season threatened to turn into an utter disappointment for Arsenal as the Gunners were on the verge of losing the FA Cup semi-final against Wigan Athletic, while the top 4 finish in the Premier League appeared to be slipping out of their reach. Nevertheless, the Gunners showed a great deal of character to come from behind against the Latics and win the tie against penalties, before enjoying five straight victories in the Premiership to secure Champions League qualification and finish mere seven points behind champions Manchester City. This is enough to suggest Arsenal are not that far away from mounting a serious title challenge and everybody at the club is aware that the FA Cup trophy could provide just the boost they need to turn things around. The Gunners go into the clash at Wembley in very good form and with most key men available, with Jack Wilshere returning into action against Norwich. Thomas Vermaelen and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain face fitness tests though, but they are unlikely to start such an important match. Mathieu Flamini should be recalled, while it remains to be seen if Lukasz Fabianski will continue his FA Cup campaign.

Hull City have enjoyed a dream season this term, avoiding the Premier League relegation tussle altogether while qualifying for the FA Cup final. Seasoned manager Steve Bruce hit the nail on the head with his summer signings, as the likes of Charlie Davies, Tom Huddlestone, Maynor Figueroa and Jake Livermore all developed into important players, while January additions Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long seriously improved team’s attacking record. The Tigers managed to pick up just enough points to ensure the poor finish of the season do not see them drop into the danger zone, with the team ending the season four points above the bottom three despite picking up just one point from last five league fixtures. There are no doubts Steve Bruce and his men were constantly thinking about the FA Cup final clash against Arsenal during these past few weeks, and the time has come for them to try and spring a major surprise and lift the coveted title. Shane Long and Nikica Jelavic are both cup-tied, and while Sone Aluko, Robbie Brady, James Chester and Paul McShane are back in contention, none of them is expected to start at Wembley.

Conclusion

Hull City have often proved to be tough nut to crack this season, but with Shane Long and Nikica Jelavic missing, they will struggle to match in-form Arsenal. The Gunners will be almost at full strength and their superior experience in these kinds of matches could prove to be the difference between the two sides.

Verdict: Home win Arsenal (1)

Best Odds: 1/2

Bookmaker: bet365