Hull City: Steve Bruce facing selection headache

Steve Bruce Hull City manager to face Arsenal FA Cup

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Hull City manager Steve Bruce insists he faces a selection headache as he tries to pick a starting XI to face Arsenal in the FA Cup final.

The Tigers will be without starting strikers Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long for the Wembley showpiece as they are both cup-tied.

Despite changing their team throughout the competition, they have impressed and have a realistic chance of beating Arsenal.

Bruce once again made changes to his team on Tuesday night, but that plan backfired as his side were comfortably beaten 3-1 by Manchester United, with debutant James Wilson scoring a brace.

Despite the defeat, Bruce said he took some positives from the performance.

“It was a good work-out for us. A lot of people needed a game and it has given me something to think about with obviously the cup final in the next 10 days or so,” he told Sky Sports.

“It’s a wonderful thing to have in the armoury at the moment. I can only pick XI of course and I’m going to disappoint a few, of course I am, but that’s the nature of football. There are a lot of them that deserve to play but I can only pick XI.”

One man who showed his ability once again was Matty Fryatt, with the striker scoring the Tigers’ only goal against United. He has scored some vital goals this season and Bruce was delighted with his performance.

He said: “Matty Fryatt showed us again what a good player he is.

“He has got a good goal, made a difference when he came on, made a difference in the semi-final, so he has made a major statement for playing in the FA Cup final, that’s for sure.”

Arsenal are the heavy favourites to lift the FA Cup on May 17 and they can be backed at odds of 1.45. Hull are 6.54 to win with the draw 4.21.

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