Arsenal vs Hull City: Why Jakirović's side will struggle to last an hour
Arsenal host Hull City at the Emirates on 7 November 2026 in a Premier League Round 10 fixture. The Gunners sit top of the table with 24 points from nine games, fresh off a 1-0 win at Liverpool on 1 November and a 2-0 victory over Everton the week before and given that Jakirović only replaced Rubén Sellés in June 2025, there is no recorded top flight head to head between the two managers. Hull are 11th with 11 points, winless in their last five league outings, with their most recent result a 2-2 draw at Ipswich on 1 November.
Arsenal's last five reads W W W W L and that one defeat looks like the exception rather than any kind of signal, the win at Anfield was built on a defence that has conceded fewer goals than anyone else in the division. Hull have meanwhile won once in five and drawn three, marooned in mid table without the points their competitiveness might suggest they deserve.
Arsenal are carrying several absences. Bukayo Saka is out with a quad injury, Max Dowman is suspended until around 29 November, Ezri Konsa is rated around 75 per cent with a knee knock and William Saliba is a doubt with a back issue, four players who would have started on a fully fit weekend, covering their first choice right back position, two wide options and a first choice centre back. Hull are not much better off: Matt Targett is out with an ankle problem, Eliot Matazo is absent with an ACL injury and Matt Crooks is suspended, absences that strip them of their first choice left wing back and two of their three central midfielders, while Jack Butland's arm issue puts their starting goalkeeper in doubt as well.
Arsenal typically line up in a 4-2-3-1, with Declan Rice and a partner as the double pivot and Ødegaard pulling the strings behind the forwards. Rice breaks lines and wins the ball back and without Saka, Noni Madueke becomes the main wide threat with Ødegaard taking on more of the ball carrying on that side and Kai Havertz as the central forward option.
Hull set up in either a 5-4-1 or 3-4-3, with a flat four in front of the back five and Belloumi tucked inside rather than pushed high. Mohamed Belloumi is their primary creative outlet, Oli McBurnie leads the line and John Egan anchors the defence. The losses of Targett and Matazo have hurt them on the flanks, leaving no recognised cover at left wing back and the match ups that matter most are Rice against Hull's flat four and Madueke against full backs already short of cover because of the injuries and suspensions around them.
Arsenal have not lost to Hull in 14 meetings across all competitions, holding around 18 wins from roughly 26 encounters, with the last meeting finishing 2-0 to Arsenal in February 2017 and Hull's last victory over them coming as far back as 2008.
The case for a heavy home win begins with the squad depth gap. Arsenal rotating around four first team regulars still vastly outgun a Hull side missing Targett, Matazo and Crooks and uncertain over Butland and with no recognised cover at left wing back once Targett is out, that flank only gets worse as legs tire. Rice and Ødegaard should own the middle and once Arsenal's press starts forcing turnovers in the Hull half, Havertz and Madueke have the speed to punish them before they can reset.
With Saliba and Konsa both carrying doubts, set pieces give Egan a chance to contribute directly, something he rarely gets from Hull's limited ball progression but Arteta's side has been excellent at neutralising exactly that this season. Expect a first goal before half time built through Ødegaard and Rice, a second shortly after the interval from a set piece or a Madueke counter and then two more as the game opens up for Havertz late on. Arsenal win 4-0.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
