Arsenal 2 - Hull 0: Nicklas Bendtner delivers surprise gift

SAINT NICKLAS arrived early for table-toppers Arsenal last night.

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NEW LIFE: Bendtner's early goal rewarded Arsene Wenger for keeping faith with the Dane [GETTY]

Not many Gunners fans could have expected the gift of a goal from Nicklas Bendtner three weeks before Christmas.

But that was exactly what they got from the Danish striker who is not exactly loved – even in these parts – unlike the old man with the white beard.

In fact, it was four days after Christmas in 2010 when the 25-year-old last delivered in the league for the Gunners and this match was his first start in the top flight for them in 1,005 days.

But aware of the demands ahead, which include a vital Champions League game at Napoli in six days and league clashes with Manchester City and Chelsea, boss Arsene Wenger made five changes from the team who won 3-0 at Cardiff on Saturday.

They included leaving out 10-goal Olivier Giroud, meaning this rare, rare start for misfit Bendnter who, after spells on loan with Sunderland and Juventus, had seemed sure to quit the club in the summer.

WIZARD OF OZ: Mesut Ozil bagged Arsenal's second to seal victory at the Emirates [EPA]

Amazingly, Bendtner scored in just the second minute.

Smart interplay between Tomas Rosicky and Aaron Ramsey saw the Welshman release Carl Jenkinson down the right and his ­pinpoint cross was met with a bullet header from the Dane.
It wasn’t the first time he had scored against Hull. He has struck twice on visits to Humberside, including a last-ditch winner in March 2010.

Arsenal tried to build on Bendtner’s opener and Laurent Koscielny had a couple of headed opportunities.
Then after 15 minutes Mesut Ozil hit a left-foot drive which Allan McGregor spilled.
Had he taken a better touch Bendtner could have followed up, but it was heavy and ensured the angle was too tight.

Hull’s first threat saw Yannick Sagbo just fail to get his head on to a Danny Graham cross.
Bendtner set up Santi Cazorla with a neat lay-off, but the Spaniard’s shot was weak and wide.

BACK TO BASICS: Hull could not reproduce the magic that saw them defeat Liverpool at the weekend [REUTERS]

Ramsey turned and forced McGregor into a save low down to his left, then in the 32nd minute the Scottish keeper pulled off a far better stop, leaping the same way to touch round a flashing 25-yard drive from the midfielder.
A super turn and drive into the box by Tom Huddlestone allowed him to fire a ball across the goal, but it was just ahead of Sagbo.

An Arsenal break saw Cazorla line up Bendtner to cross from the right. His delivery was good, but Ozil could not match his accuracy with his head, glancing wide of the far post.
But Ozil was clinical with his left foot in the 48th minute.
He picked up a pass from Nacho Monreal as several Hull players stopped, thinking the ball had gone out of play, and the German fed Ramsey.

As with Bendtner’s goal, the Welshman conjured a super reverse pass which put Ozil clean through and he slotted in at the near post with ease for his fourth Arsenal goal.
Hull boss Steve Bruce opted to replace Graham with George Boyd and Robbie Brady with Liam Rosenior in the 58th minute in a bid to bring some bite to the largely toothless Tigers, who looked a shadow of the side who shocked Liverpool on Sunday.