CONTROVERSY AS ‘HANDBALL’ GOAL HELPS GUNNERS TAME THE TIGERS

Clattenburg, 10 minutes into the second half. Kieran Gibbs was the last Arsenal defender and he clearly fouled Lazar Markovic, who would have had a free run at Petr Cech’s goal.

Clattenburg reached into his back pocket and produced a yellow card.

The posse of Hull players who surrounded the official were insisting it should have been a different colour.

Theo Walcott was also booked after a flare-up with the much taller Hull centreback Harry Maguire ( left).

But the Gunners survived and secured three muchneeded points for manager Arsene Wenger, who has been under fire from a section of disaffected fans.

“It was more about the mathematics than the brilliance because we had to win,” said Wenger, whose side were heavily reliant on the work rate of Sanchez to maintain their attacking momentum.

And during Hull’s impressive secondhalf response, it was captain Laurent Koscielny who led his men by example, as he was first to most challenges and won a series of headers.

Cech needed to be sharp to keep out a header from Oumar Niasse in the first half and dived full-length to keep out an effort from the same player early in the second period.

“We played against a good side today,” said Wenger, who was aware of the mounting criticism generated by successive