Arsenal has probably conceded to the fact that the best it's doing this year is finishing in second to Chelsea in the Premier League. That said, there's a big difference between finishing in the Top 3, fourth, fifth and sixth, and all of those options are still very much so up in the air. That said, even though Hull City should be a pushover at home on Saturday to kick off Match Day 25 action, the Tigers know they have to get a few results in matches like this if they want to stay up this year.
This Premier League duel will go down Saturday, February 11, 2017, at 7:30 a.m. ET at Emirates Stadium. The match will be televised live on NBC Sports Network.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Arsenal -335
Hull City +900
Draw +475
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
Thanks to some of the big upsets we've had in recent weeks in the Premier League, the odds on the big favorites aren't quite as big as they once were. A match like this one probably would have featured the Gunners at a full -2 just a few weeks back. Instead, Arsenal is set at just -1.5 on the Asian Handicap, albeit at -122 vig alongside a -335 price on the moneyline.
The total has to understandably be higher now because of the big spread, plus the fact that Hull City has had one of the worst defenses in the EPL this season. Vig at -130 is what it'll cost you to play over 3 in this game.
Key Injuries
Arsenal is at least starting to get a few of its injured options back. Mathieu Debuchy is on the trail to be back this weekend, while Aaron Ramsey is probably only a few matches away from returning. Furthermore, this is the first match of eligibility for Mohamed Elneny, who is back from the Africa Cup of Nations after a few weeks away from the squad and could be put right back into the fold, especially with Hector Bellerin and Lucas Perez both missing with minor injuries.
Hull City has its squad back together after basically being ravaged by the AFCON. Ahmed Elmohamady is a question mark to get back in the fold this week after a long run in Africa's premier tournament, but all of the other players who were playing overseas are now back in the lineup. It's the longer term injuries that have really crushed the Tigers this year. Curtis Davies is out for another two months or so, Markus Henriksen could miss the rest of the year, William Keane and Brian Lenihan are both recovering from knee surgery, and Ryan Mason's fractured skull suffered last month was one of the ugliest injuries of the entire season.
Recent Form
It's amazing that Hull City has clawed its way back to within range of safety. You had to think that a stretch of games against Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal was sure to yield nothing for the Tigers, but in the first three of those duels, they've picked up four points. This may as well be house money in this match.
If Arsenal really had any hope of winning the EPL this season, that hope went down the drain after losing to Watford and Chelsea in consecutive matches at the end of January and beginning of February. The Gunners are finished now for sure, but the goal of finishing in the Top 4 from the start of the season still remains.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
We're really concerned about Arsenal, but we know that the cream rises to the top in these matches at some point. It's a nice overlay for sure with the Gunners a little dinged up and Hull City playing some of its best ball of the season, but this is where we're willing to take a shot against the big Asian Handicap.
We foresee a big night for the big boys at the front for Arsenal, as this might be the moment that Alexis Sanchez shines and takes over a match against a significantly lesser foe.
Premier League Odds: Arsenal 3, Hull City 0
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