Good evening and welcome to LIVE text commentary of the Premier League clash between Hull City and Arsenal at the KC Stadium. The Gunners have been in imperious form of late and can move level on points with second-placed Manchester City with a victory. Hull are just the one point above the drop zone but know that a third win on the bounce would go some way to staving off relegation. It's an intriguing match-up and it all gets underway at 8pm BST.

Arsene Wenger's side have more points after 33 games this season than any campaign since 2009-10. This is despite having fewer points after 12 games than they have had in any other Premier League campaign.

Giroud looking a tad uncomfortable out there. He's glancing over at the bench. Wenger will be hoping he doesn't need to make an early change.

SAVE! Harper gets down well to beat away Alexis Sanchez's bullet of a strike at his near post after the Chilean had danced in from the left, exchanged a one-two and tried his luck from 20 yards.

Ahmed Elmohamady rampages beyond Monreal and clips in a devilish cross that Ospina reads and claims with real authority.

Santi Cazorla lets fly from distance... blocked.

Hector Bellerin jinks to the right of the area and drills a low cut back at Tom Huddlestone who improvises with a flick of the heel that flashes straight into Steve Harper's grateful arms. That could have gone anywhere. Cue sighs of relief from the Hull players.

Arsenal win a free kick and Coquelin receives some treatment. He looks a bit sore but will be fine to continue.

David Ospina comes to the edge of his box and beats Michael Dawson to the punch, but also takes out Francis Coquelin in the process!

Free kick to Hull just inside the Arsenal half. The hosts send the centre backs forward and will look to hoist this one...

STAT: Hull have won consecutive league matches for only the second time this season. They have only ever won three or more games in succession in the top flight once before - four matches in September-October in the 2008-09 season.

Arsenal knocking it around with the confidence of a team who have enjoyed a fine run in 2015.

Hull deploying three centre backs and a system that has helped inspire an upturn in their fortunes at just the right moment. Bruce is also buoyed by the return to fitness of Nikica Jelavic who is named on the bench after a seven week absence following surgery. Incidentally, the Gunners haven’t conceded a first half goal in their last 13 Premier League matches, so maybe introducing Jelavic in the second period could work in the home side's favour...

DID YOU KNOW? Hull City have lost five and drawn one of the last six Premier League games against Arsenal, including defeats in all three games at the KC Stadium.

Nacho Monreal saunters down the left and teases a cross towards the near post that Aaron Ramsey can't divert towards goal. Let off for Hull early doors. Meanwhile, in the stands Arsenal fans have a message re. ticket prices...

KICK OFF! Arsenal get us up and running.

Great touch from Hull City following the sad death of Gregory Mertens. The Tigers have also welcomed Arsenal's travelling support with a stand/banner inside the away section that says 'Welcome Arsenal. Always remembering David Rocastle'.

Steve Bruce's take on his side's chances of avoiding the drop: "I still think we need a couple of results. It's all still to play for, it's exciting if you are watching from afar but if you are involved in it you have to come out fighting. We have seen how competitive and difficult the league is, but back-to-back victories gives us a fantastic chance when a lot of people a week ago were writing us off."

More from Wenger on Hull's resurgence and his views on the battle for survival: "They had two great performances when they were in quite a bad situation, but they had two amazing results. Hull have just beaten Liverpool at home, so we are warned that we will face a big challenge there. It is very difficult to predict who will go down. It looks very, very tight, so up to 35 points, everybody can have fear."

In a pre-match interview in the tunnel, Wenger has just explained Danny Welbeck's absence from the matchday squad: "He has an inflammation in his knee. It doesn't look very bad but he is not available for selection." The Gunners boss added that he expected the ex-Man Untied forward to be back before the end of the season. He said: "Maybe (he'll return) next Monday against Swansea. If not, the game after." Welbeck has only shown his best form in patches for Arsenal, netting just four goals in 27 Premier League appearances this season. He’s actually scored more goals for England (six in seven games) since August.

Arsenal legend, Thierry Henry recently stated Arsenal won't win the league with Olivier Giroud in attack. Unsurprisingly, Arsene Wenger disagrees...

Arsenal have only failed to score in three league matches this term; versus Chelsea (twice) and Southampton.