EPL: Arsenal beat Hull to all but seal Champions League qualification

Arsenal's Theo Walcott in action with Hull City's Paul McShane Reuters

Arsenal all but sealed Champions League qualification for an 18th successive season after they eased past relegation-threatened Hull City 3-1 in the Premier League on Monday.

Alexis Sanchez's deflected free-kick wrong-footed stranded keeper Steve Harper to hand Arsenal a 28th-minute opener before Aaron Ramsey doubled the advantage four minutes later when his shot was diverted into the net via a Hull defender.

Sanchez rounded Harper to add his second in first half stoppage time and, though they improved after the break, Hull's solitary response came from Stephen Quinn's 56th minute header.

Arsenal, in third, have 70 points from 34 matches and trail second-placed Manchester City, who have played a game more, on goal difference.

Hull sit one point and place above the relegation zone and face the daunting prospect of games against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United among their remaining three fixtures.