At the end of what for Hull City was a gruelling first season in the Premier League for Steve Bruce’s side the Tigers are now in a position to focus their attention to this weekend’s FA Cup final and come up with a plan to beat Arsenal.
Hull central defender Curtis Davies says the team are now all in a relaxed mood knowing that the managed to avoid the drop and are looking to finish off the season in style by winning the FA Cup.
Davies was on the books at Birmingham City when they stunned Arsenal by beating the Gunners in the League Cup final back in 2011 and thinks that Hull City can do the same this time around telling Sky Sports: “It will be another massive game and occasion.
“That Birmingham game was strange, as I was a spectator (due to being ineligible). It is a coincidence to come up against Arsenal again and we know the shock Birmingham put on that day. The pressure is all on Arsenal again.
“Our goal at the beginning of the season was to stay in the Premier League. We are quite satisfied with how our season has gone, but going into a cup final against Arsenal we are in it to win it.
“Arsenal fans will see this as a trophy they must win, though. It would be different for them if they were going into a final against Man City or Chelsea.
“They will see it as a must-win against us. It’s been that long without a trophy for them it might produce some nerves.”
Despite Hull losing to Arsenal twice in the league Davies says that previous results will not matter in the final.
He added: “A cup final is a bit different.
“We weren’t too bad against them recently (a 3-0 defeat at the KC Stadium in April), but Arsenal were clinical.
“We need to match their work-rate and effort and, hopefully, that will give us a foothold in the game.
“Hopefully, it will go on long enough to cause them a bit of panic like against Birmingham.”
