Hull 0 - Arsenal 3: Lukas Podolski helps Arsenal put on a show in cup final rehearsal #CarryGobySeanKellz #FutureGroupNG via @i_amreginaldjr

AS a dress rehearsal for the FA Cup final next month this was Shaftesbury Avenue compared to the local amateur dramatics society as the Gunners fired three warnings to Hull that they fully intend to end their nine-year trophy drought on May 17.

Lukas Podolski celebrates after scoring the third goal for Arsenal with Olivier Giroud[GETTY]

Arsenal won through a brace by Lukas Podolski and Aaron Ramsey’s opener as they strolled to victory and strengthened their bid for the fourth Champions League place with only three matches left.
Ramsey played the starring role and is now beginning to get back into his stride after three months on the sidelines with a thigh injury.
Mesut Ozil, who was also out of action for five weeks, in tandem with his Welsh team-mate, dominated the midfield and, with Santi Cazorla a buzzing menace throughout, Arsene Wenger’s side made short work of their cup rivals.
Had Ramsey and Ozil stayed fit, would Arsenal have stayed in the title race?
Wenger said: “We knew we had to win today. You could see against West Ham there was something better in our game and today there was much more oil in our engine.
“We have been having problems scoring away from home recently but Ramsey and Ozil give us a cutting edge in the final third that makes us look much more dangerous.
“The table is very close and Liverpool have played very well in the second half of the season. You wouldn’t want to take anything away from them but they were able to focus only on the Premier League. If you look at the injuries, plus the schedule we have had, then it was much heavier than Liverpool’s.”
A minute’s silence was held before kick-off to mark the death of former Hull player Andy ‘Jock’ Davidson, who made 579 appearances for the club and passed away recently aged 81.

 

Podolski has now scored ten goals in an injury plagued season [GETTY]

The big turning point was a refereeing decision. Everyone in the ground expected a free-kick. We didn’t get it and a bit of quality ended with a terrific finish

Steve Bruce

Both sides came out to the Wembley fans’ anthem of ‘Que Sera Sera’ in front of a full house and within five minutes we had a pitch invasion, of a sort, as advertising hoardings on one side of the ground blew on to the playing surface, holding up the match for three minutes.
Hull were first to make any sort of inroad as Tom Huddlestone’s clever free-kick found Nikica Jelavic, who turned and shot in an instant, forcing Wojciech Szczesny into a fine full-stretch save.
The Gunners quickly responded as Podolski was set up by Ramsey and fired a tremendous shot which Steve Harper parried at his near post.
Jake Livermore did the same at the other end, teeing up Shane Long, whose finish was high and wide over the bar.
Arsenal made Steve Bruce’s side pay, taking the lead just after the half hour mark with a goal of supreme quality. Ozil made some space and passed inside to Cazorla, who effortlessly played in Ramsey and the Welsh dynamo finished clinically for his ninth league goal of the season.
Minutes later Hull came so close to an equaliser as Livermore let fly from 25 yards and beat Szczesny only for the ball to thud against the inside of the upright.
The reprieve was seized upon by the visitors just seconds before the break. Jelavic fell under a challenge from Mikel Arteta and Hull players howled for a free-kick, but TV replays suggested the official was correct.
Olivier Giroud powered downfield and found Ramsey in the box, who chested the ball down perfectly for Podolski to volley past Harper.

Steve Bruce was disappointed the result but pleased with his sides performance [GETTY]

The KC stadium exploded with fury at half-time but the goal stood and rightly so.
Straight after the break the game was over as a contest as Cazorla found space on the left flank, slipping in behind Ahmed Elmohamady. He found Ramsey, whose shot was only blocked by Harper into Podolski’s path and the German made it 3-0 with his 12th goal of the campaign.
It was nearly four as Harper made a hash of attempting to clear Liam Rosenior’s back pass and handed Giroud a chance but, from an acute angle, the striker could only hit the underside of the bar.
Bruce said: “The first half was the best we have played for weeks and I couldn’t have been more pleased, but we found ourselves 2-0 down. The first was a typical Arsenal goal and sometimes you just have to hold your hands up as it was real quality.
“The big turning point was a refereeing decision. Everyone in the ground expected a free-kick. We didn’t get it and a bit of quality ended with a terrific finish.
“Sometimes it’s cruel but that’s what the big league is all about.”
Hull (4-4-2): Harper 6; Rosenior 6, Chester 6, Davies 6, Elmohamady 5; Meyler 5, Huddlestone 6, Livermore 7, Boyd 5(Koren 84); Long 6 (Fryatt 46,6), Jelavic 6 (Quinn 69, 6). Booked: Meyler.
Arsenal (4-5-1): Szczesny 6; Sagna 6, Mertesacker 7, Koscielny 7, Monreal 6; Ramsey 9, Cazorla 8, Arteta 7, Podolski 8 (Sanogo 84), Ozil 7 (Flamini 61, 6); Giroud 7 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 74, 6). Booked: Mertesacker. Goals: Ramsey 31, Podolski 45, 54.
Referee: J Moss (West Yorkshire).
Next Up: Hull – Saturday: Fulham (a) league.
Arsenal – Monday April 28: Newcastle (h) league.