Arsenal receive early team news boost for Hull clash as suspension confirmed

Arsenal have received an early team news boost for their Premier League clash with Hull City next weekend, as Tigers midfielder Matt Crooks will be suspended for the trip to the Emirates.

Sergej Jakirovic's side played out a gripping 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town at the MKM Stadium on Saturday, as Oli McBurnie and Tim Iroegbunam cancelled out efforts from Florentino Luis and Julio Enciso.

Crooks started the top-flight encounter on the bench, but the 32-year-old was brought on for John Egan at half time, when Hull were chasing the game at 1-0 down.

However, Crooks was cautioned on the hour mark for a poor challenge on Ipswich's Luis, thereby collecting his fifth booking of the season after previous yellows against Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Everton.

Having been yellow-carded five times before the 19-game cut-off point, Crooks will now serve a one-game suspension, ruling him out of Hull's visit to North London next Saturday.

Hull's Matt Crooks suspended for Arsenal clash

The former Middlesbrough man was a regular fixture in the Hull XI in the early weeks of the season, starting five of their first seven games of the Premier League campaign, missing matches against Coventry City and Aston Villa due to a thigh injury.

Crooks was an unused substitute in last weekend's 1-1 draw with Brentford, though, and his absence from the Hull XI against Ipswich as well suggests that his ban will not have a seismic impact on Jakirovic's plans next weekend.

Instead, Iroegbunam and Regan Slater are expected to pair up in midfield at the home of the champions, although Crooks's ban will deprive the Tigers of an experienced, tough-tackling engine room option.

Hull are already working without three midfielders due to injury in Darko Gyabi, Lucas Gourna-Douath and Eliot Matazo, although the former two are anticipated to return at some point in November.

Jakirovic has avoided a double suspension blow for the trip to Arsenal, though, as McBurnie is also on four yellow cards but avoided picking up a fatal fifth in Saturday's game.

What has happened in previous meetings between Arsenal and Hull?

Hull have especially fond memories of the Emirates Stadium, having shocked Arsene Wenger's Arsenal 2-1 in September 2008 shortly after being promoted to the Premier League for the first time.

However, the Tigers have since failed to win any of their last 14 games against the Gunners, suffering 12 defeats in that time, including a chaotic 3-2 loss in the 2013-14 FA Cup final.

Arsenal did the double over Hull in the 2016-17 Premier League season by an aggregate score of 6-1, thumping the Tigers 4-1 away before a 2-0 Emirates triumph in their most recent head-to-head.