Tale of two handballs as Alexis Sanchez leads Arsenal to crucial win over Hull City

Alexis Sanchez scored with a handball as Arsenal ended a run of two consecutive defeats in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Hull City.

The Gunners, who recalled Kieran Gibbs in place of Nacho Monreal to the line-up, created a string of chances in the first period with Mesut Ozil and Sanchez spurning good opportunities.

And they needed a huge dollop of luck to take the lead with Sanchez putting the ball into the net with his hand after Gibbs’ shot was cleared off the line.

The second half was a tame affair until the home side were awarded a penalty in stoppage time when Sam Clucas was sent off ironically for handball, with the home side's Chilean striker coolly netting the penalty.

It sees Arsene Wenger’s side climb to third in the table, while Hull stay 18th, ahead of their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich in Germany on Wednesday.

Why wasn’t Sanchez’s opening goal ruled out? Referee Mark Clattenburg had a discussion with his assistant before awarding the goal so perhaps they deemed it was not deliberate. But TV replays showed it clearly struck the former Barcelona player’s hand otherwise the ball would not have crossed the line.

Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal): The Chilean was at the centre of his side’s attacks. His work rate was top notch as ever although he was fortunate not to have his first goal ruled out. His future at the Emirates may be in doubt but he showed no signs of discontent against the Tigers.

ARSENAL: Cech 6, Bellerin 5, Mustafi 5, Koscielny 6, Gibbs 6, Oxlade-Chamberlain 6, Coquelin 5, Walcott 5, Ozil 6, Iwobi 5, Sanchez 8. Subs: Elneny, Perez 4, Welbeck 4

HULL CITY: Jakupovic 5, Elabdellaoui 5, Ranocchia 6, Maguire 6, Robertson 6, Huddlestone 5, N'Diaye 5, Markovic 7, Grosicki 7, Clucas 5, Niasse 6. Subs: Evandro 5, Elmohamady 5, Diomande 4.

14’ GOOD SAVE! A wonderful cross from Grosicki with the outside of his foot finding Niasse at the far post and his header forces Cech to top the ball over. The corner comes to nothing though.

15’ - BELLERIN MISS: A patient move from Arsenal around the box leads to Bellerin exchanging passing with Walcott before slicing a shot wide from inside the area, he should have found the target.

16’ SANCHEZ EFFORT: Oxlade-Chamberlain does well to thread the ball through to Coquelin, it falls to Sanchez who cuts inside and near the penalty shot he fires a shot agonisingly wide of the post.

34’ - GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Hull: Gibbs' effort is blocked on the line from Robertson and Sanchez pokes in the rebound from close range with his hand.

51’ - GOOD SAVE! Markovic floats in a cross for Niasse whose drive inside the box is beaten away by Cech for a corner.

86’ - CHANCE! From a corner from the right, Diomande fires a bullet header over the bar.

90’+1 - RED CARD FOR HULL: Clucas is off for handball after blocking a header off the line. Sanchez had put a great ball in for Perez whose header was blocked. And it is a penalty to Arsenal.

90’+3 - GOAL!Arsenal 2-0 Hull: Sanchez fires in the penalty low to the keeper's right to seal victory.

Alexis Sanchez has had a hand in seven goals in three Premier League appearances against Hull City (six goals, one assist).

Hull City have now conceded 11 penalties this PL season, the most since Blackburn Rovers conceded 11 in 2006/07.