Hull City 0-3 Arsenal: Instant reaction

Aaron Ramsey hadn't lined up in the Arsenal starting XI with Mesut Özil  since Boxing Day, when Arsenal beat West Ham 3-1. With their two best players back, Arsenal looked threatening, playing quick, dynamic football as they beat Hull City 3-0.

Hull started the brighter of the sides, though an interruption of proceedings by the invasion of advertising hoardings (AGAINST MODERN FOOTBALL) summed up the nature of the match, which I'm contractually obliged to refer to as "scrappy". Hull did fairly little with their chances, and Arsenal looked threatening on the break--Özil should've had a penalty, and a better pass from Ramsey probably would've seen Lukas Podolski score, rather than hit a rushed right footed shot straight at Steve Harper. It was Arsenal who made the breakthrough, though, and it was a wonderful team goal. Predictably, Özil played a major role, and then Cazorla slipped in Ramsey, who calmly finished.

Right at the break, it was 2-0. Hull were incensed that they weren't awarded a free kick after Jelavic fell over, but Arsenal countered, with Özil playing the ball wide for Giroud, who crossed for Ramsey, who chested for an on-rushing Podolski, who smashed the ball past Harper.

10 minutes into the second half, the points were settled. Once again, Cazorla was involved, with his pinpoint cutback finding an onrushing Ramsey. His shot was parried by Harper's foot, but straight to Podolski, who poached his second. There were a couple of other moments for Arsenal--Ramsey had a shot saved, Oxlade-Chamberlain should've won a penalty, but they were content to see out the final 35 minutes, and go 4 points clear (for the moment, at least) of Everton.