Hull City vs Arsenal. Premier League.
MKM StadiumAttendance22,536.
Sunday 18 September 2016 09:22, UK
Alexis Sanchez scored twice and missed a penalty as Arsenal beat 10-man Hull 4-1 on Saturday.
Arsene Wenger's side took the lead after 17 minutes at the KCOM Stadium when Alex Iwobi's shot deflected in off Sanchez.
Jake Livermore was shown a straight red card late in the half for blocking a goal-bound effort with his arm, but Eldin Jakupovic saved Sanchez's spot-kick.
Theo Walcott doubled Arsenal's advantage shortly after the break and it looked comfortable for the visitors until Robert Snodgrass converted a penalty of his own with 11 minutes remaining.
But Hull's hopes of a comeback were dashed as Sanchez made it 3-1 and Granit Xhaka rounded off the scoring with a superb long-range strike.
The goal is Xhaka's first for the Gunners, who have now won three in a row in the Premier League.
While Hull named an unchanged starting XI for the fifth league game in a row, Petr Cech and Walcott returned for Arsenal, with Xhaka among the substitutes.
Sanchez again started up front for the visitors with Olivier Giroud out with a toe injury and it was the Chilean who had the first chance, scooping a shot over the bar from the penalty spot in the 13th minute.
The Gunners continued to apply pressure and got the breakthrough when Jakupovic palmed out a cross from Walcott and Iwobi's follow-up shot deflected in off Sanchez.
Andy Robertson denied Sanchez a shooting chance minutes later with a well-timed tackle from behind before Walcott hit a first-time effort at the keeper.
Hull struggled to create chances at the other end and they were fortunate not to fall further behind as Jakupovic saved well from Iwobi and Mesut Ozil fired the rebound over the bar from 10 yards out.
Arsenal spurned another chance later in the half, this time from the penalty spot. Livermore was shown a straight red for blocking a goal-bound shot with his arm but Sanchez saw his spot-kick saved, having taken over penalty duties from Santi Cazorla.
It did not take long for the Gunners to double their advantage after the break, with Iwobi's brilliant back-heeled pass playing in Walcott, whose chipped shot was headed into his own net by Harry Maguire.
The visitors looked comfortable until Dieumerci Mbokani was brought down by Petr Cech and Snodgrass converted the penalty.
But any hopes of a Hull rally were soon snuffed out as Sanchez fired home and then Xhaka rounded off the scoring with a fine strike from distance.
Player ratings
Hull: Jakupovic (5), Elmohamady (5), Livermore (4), Davies (5), Robertson (5), Meyler (5), Huddlestone (5), Clucas (6), Diomande (5), Hernandez (5), Snodgrass (6).
Subs used: Maguire (5), Mbokani (5), Mason (5).
Arsenal: Cech (6), Bellerin (6), Mustafi (6), Koscielny (7), Monreal (6), Coquelin (6), Cazorla (6), Walcott (7), Ozil (6), Iwobi (7), Sanchez (8).
Subs used: Lucas Perez (5), Xhaka (6), Elneny (5).
Man of the match: Alexis Sanchez.