Arsenal moved closer to sealing a place in the Champions League by claiming a 3-1 victory over Hull City this evening.
Alexis Sanchez fired the Gunners ahead with a deflected free kick, before Aaron Ramsey scored a second goal five minutes later.
On the stroke of half time, Sanchez grabbed his second goal of the match with a composed finish after racing onto Ramsey's through-ball.
Stephen Quinn pulled a goal back for the Tigers in the second half, but it was not enough to spark a comeback.
Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the events that unfolded at the KC Stadium.
Match Statistics:
HULL:
Shots 8
On Target 1
Possession 32%
Corners 0
Fouls 8
ARSENAL:
Shots 22
On Target 9
Possession 68%
Corners 5
Fouls 11
Was the result fair?
Arsenal were worthy winners this evening and they produced a fine display to thoroughly outclass their opponents. They took control from the start and completely dominated the possession. Their first two goals may have taken fortunate deflections, but by that point they deserved to be in the lead. The third goal from Sanchez on the stroke of half time was brilliantly constructed and it killed the game off. When Quinn pulled a goal back after the break, there was a slight chance of a Hull comeback, but the Gunners regained their grasp of the match and comfortably held on to take the points.
Hull performance
It was a tough evening for Hull, who struggled to get anywhere near the Gunners and failed to deal with their attacking threat. They did not put too much pressure on their opponents' defence and gave the ball away far too cheaply in dangerous areas, which led to the first goal. They showed a lot more spirit in the second half and managed to find the back of the net, which will have been a boost for Steve Bruce, despite the final result.
Arsenal's performance
The Gunners produced a masterclass of attacking football in the first half that swept aside their opponents, as they won for the ninth time in their last 10 games. The link-up play between their attack and midfield was stunning and it would have been no surprise to have seen them score four or five goals this evening. Sanchez and Ramsey will receive the attention for their goals, but Santi Cazorla played some stunning passes this evening and Mesut Ozil produced another fine display. It is the sort of form that they will want to continue, as they look to finish in second place and retain the FA Cup by the end of the month.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Alexis Sanchez: There were so many great performances from the Gunners, but Sanchez gets the nod thanks to his two goals. His first came from a deflected free kick, while he showed great composure to take the ball past the keeper and finish calmly for his second that killed the game off.
Biggest gaffe
Hull gave the ball away poorly throughout the match and Tom Huddlestone was probably the biggest culprit. He was caught in possession by Sanchez, who was then brought down just outside the box by Jake Livermore. Arsenal then scored from the resulting free kick and never looked back after that moment.
Referee's performance
It was a decent performance from Lee Mason, who handed out two deserved bookings to Livermore and Dame N'Doye. He could have given Livermore a second yellow card for his foul on Sanchez, but on that occasion the official decided that a free kick was punishment enough.
What next?
Hull: Bruce's side will welcome Burnley to the KC Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Arsenal: The Gunners are back in action next Monday, with a clash against Swansea City at the Emirates.
Alex Meyers
