Arsenal vs Hull City: Gunners face 'big sweat' warns Arsene Wenger

Arsenal are in the midst of an injury crisis

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (Getty Images)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has warned his side they will face another "big sweat" against Hull when Barclays Premier League action resumes on Saturday.

The Gunners will tackle the team they beat after extra-time in last season's FA Cup final looking to close back up on the top four following defeat away to leaders Chelsea before the international break.

Wenger knows all too well what problems Hull will pose, having watched on from the touchline at Wembley in May as Steve Bruce's men raced into a 2-0 lead before Arsenal mounted the comeback which would eventually end a nine-season trophy drought.

The summer arrivals of players like Hatem Ben Arfa, Abel Hernandez and Mohamed Diame arguably make the Tigers even more of a threat this time around.

"The Hull game for us is a remembrance of a big sweat because we played against them in the cup final in a very difficult game," Wenger said.

"They could not use (Nikica) Jelavic in the cup last season, and since then they have bought Diame, Hernandez - they have bought some good players.

"When you look at their team sheet now, they look like they can beat anybody so I expect a tough game.

"Look at the quality of players they got in, you can say they bought top quality."

Midfielder Jack Wilshere believes Arsenal cannot afford to drop their guard against a side looking to cement their place in the top flight for a second campaign.

"Hull were a good team last year, but they have improved their squad and have got a year of experience in the Premier League," the England midfielder said on Arsenal Player.

"They are going to be a hard team to play against because their players will want to do well at the Emirates."

After such a promising start, Arsenal have once again been hampered by an injury crisis.

Mesut Ozil is not expected to play again for at least two months after suffering a knee injury at Chelsea which was confirmed while on international duty with Germany.

Defender Laurent Koscielny returned early from the French camp after an Achilles problem flared up again.

"Koscielny finds it difficult to play with it at the moment. You can only trust what the player says, he does not feel ready to play," said Wenger.

"With an inflammation of an Achilles tendon, if you wait for it to be better, it can be a short time. If you want to get rid of it completely, it is long term.

"We will monitor him and as soon as he can take enough pain again he will play.

"We have scanned him, there is no real deterioration of his Achilles at all. It is just the pain of the inflammation."

With Calum Chambers serving a one-match suspension on Saturday, Spain international Nacho Monreal is likely to be drafted across to centre-back alongside Per Mertesacker.

Captain Mikel Arteta should be available again following a calf problem.

Midfielders Theo Walcott and Serge Gnabry were set to feature for the under-21s against Blackburn on Friday night following their knee injury problems.

Wales international Aaron Ramsey should be in contention to travel to Belgium ahead of next week's Champions League tie against Anderlecht after limping off against Tottenham on September 27 with a hamstring injury.

PA