Saturday, 11 February 2017

Lucky Arsenal must fast improve to avoid "Bayern battering"

ibommedia Published: 07:19

Arsene Wenger described this week as a “difficult” one after the back-to-back defeats for Arsenal in the Premier League.

Having bemoaned Chelsea’s contentious opening goal against the Gunners last weekend, fortuity was on Wenger's side as a flatter-than-customary Emirates Stadium atmosphere witnessed Alexis Sanchez guide them to a hard-fought 2-0 win over Hull City.

Alexis appeared to bundle the ball over the line with his hand for the aperture goal on 34 minutes following a fluid assailing move involving Mesut Ozil and Kieran Gibbs. The latter was rewarded with a surprise start, but was given the runaround by Hull’s best player Lazar Markovic on several occasions, and it is likely that Nacho Monreal will be back in position for Wednesday’s Champions League clash away to Bayern Munich.

Markovic virtually found prosperity down Arsenal’s left-hand side in the second half and was hauled down by Gibbs when through on goal shortly after the break. The left-back can count himself fortuitous that he was only booked for the incident as further fortuity came Wenger’s way.