FA Cup holders, Arsenal, were left frustrated in their efforts to warm up for Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with Barcelona as their fifth round meeting with Hull City ended goalless at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Arsenal who are looking for an unprecedented hat-trick of FA Cup successes, were denied by the heroics of Hull City ‘keeper Eldin Jakupovic.
The Yorkshire outfit have been at the wrong end of FA Cup results against the Gunners but got their due on Saturday.
Danny Welbeck, who made a goal scoring return from injury with the winner against Leicester City last weekend, was back in the starting XI for the team in red and white.
Both teams have other priorities away from the FA Cup; the hosts are well placed in the league while their opponents want to make a quick return to the top-flight. But they both now have to go again in a few weeks.
This was Arsene Wenger’s 100th FA Cup tie with Arsenal and there was hope that he could celebrate with a glass of wine, instead he has to concern himself with a potential fixture pile up.
The Frenchman sent in Olivier Giroud, Alexis Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the second half but the trio failed to beat Jakupovic.
Wenger was left fuming at his side’s lost opportunities as they failed to score despite several attempts.
“We were not incisive or accurate enough in our passing in the final third,” the Arsenal boss said after the game.
“As long as they did not concede, they maintained with how they played. We had 20 shots, 70 per cent possession but no goals.”
