By Tiger Tim
January 16 2009
Hull welcome Arsenal to the KC stadium on Saturday for a game which will be shown live on Setanta 1 from 5pm. The game at the emirates was also shown on Setanta, a game which Hull won 2-1 thanks to goals from Geovanni and Daniel Cousin. However Hull don't got into the game in good form having won only 1 of their last 12 in the league and have lost their last 4.
Team News
Hull's defence is threadbare with Anothony Gardner and Michael Turner unlikely to be fully fit to start following long lay-off's with injuries , Kamil zayatte suspended and Paul McShane been recalled by Sunderland. George Boateng is also missing and faces a 3 month lay off with knee ligament damage. Better news for Hull as Kevin Kilbane could make his Hull début as well as new arrival Manucho .
Arsenal will give a late fitness test to Alex Song who has been struggling with a thigh problem. William Gallas (hamstring), Mikael Silvestre (thigh), Theo Walcott (shoulder), Cesc Fabregas (knee) and Thomas Rosicky (hamstring) are all still sidelined.
"I'm sure Arsene Wenger will have a say in the matter with regards
to the three points that we pinched when we went to the Emirates.
"But we'll have a say in the matter as well. We're buoyed by the confidence boost that we had in midweek and hopefully that will stand us in good stead.
"Winning at Newcastle was important for the morale of the squad. When I say that, the word squad is the most important thing.
"People can question whether I'm playing with the FA Cup, but as far as I'm concerned I've got 26 players to try and appease when they're not in the team.
"That is the hardest part of the job for a manager. We made eight changes against Newcastle and we got our just rewards.
"But morale is also important and we did need to win at Newcastle, to show everybody that we can win at this level again.
"Of course I'd take three points on Saturday. But what we got on Wednesday was a performance, an attitude, a mentality, a clean sheet and a win away from home.
"People had started to question whether we could do that again. Now that we have done, we have to carry that confidence into the Arsenal game."
Arsene Wenger
"We want to continue our progress - it is not about revenge (referring to Hull's shock 2-1 win at the Emirates in September).
"We feel we are on a good run and want to focus.
"I am confident that we look solid and have a team who can make results away from home.This is Arsenal's 92nd campaign of top-flight football, and Hull's first. Hull have been in existence 104 years; Arsenal 18 years longer.
Arsenal and Hull have only been in the same division in two previous seasons; both in the second tier in 1913-14 and 1914-15. Arsenal won their first league visit 1-2, but lost the second 1-0.
Home and away
League (inc PL): Hull 2 wins, Arsenal 2, Draws 1
Prem: Hull 1 win, Arsenal 0, Draws 0
at Hull only
League (inc PL): Hull 1 win, Arsenal 1, Draws 0
Prem: Hull 0 wins, Arsenal 0, Draws 0
Possible starting line ups
Hull: Myhill, Halmosi, Ricketts, Turner, Gardner, Dawson, Ashbee, Mendy, Manucho, Geovanni, Kilbane. Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Djourou, Clichy, Eboue, Diaby, Denilson, Nasri, Adebayor, van Persie.
| Matches | Red | Yellow | Average |
| 13 | 3 | 42 | 3.46 |
come on burnley