Forget relegation, we want Europe! Steve Bruce delighted with his untamed Tigers

STEVE BRUCE wants Hull to go all out to beat Arsenal - even though it could lessen the Tigers' chances of playing in Europe next season.

Hull, KC Stadium, Sport, Football, News, Soccer, Steve Bruce, Tigers, Hull Tigers, Curtis Davies, FA CupSteve Bruce thinks that a win over Arsenal would guarantee Hull's safety[GETTY]

Hull will be guaranteed a Europa League spot if Arsenal finish in the top four, with the teams due meet in the FA Cup final on May 17.

The Gunners visit the KC Stadium tomorrow and Bruce says he would prefer to qualify by winning the FA Cup and that sealing Premier League safety remains his priority.

"I'd love to beat Arsenal because that would mean we were 100 per cent safe in my eyes," he said. "That's all I'm interested in really. What will be will be for the other stuff. Let's just make sure we beat Arsenal.

"It's quite ridiculous that a year ago we were playing in the Championship, so to even think about Hull City playing in Europe is incredible."

If the Gunners triumph at Wembley and finish in the Champions League places Hull will enter the Europa League preliminary rounds, meaning the new campaign would start in July. And Bruce admits that would be far from ideal.

"I'd like to do it the real way and that's beating Arsenal in the Cup final because then you don't have to go through all the qualifiers," he said.

"My biggest concern is setting up pre-season. Usually, you know when it is starting but at the minute we can't do that. It could be very difficult if we're playing at the end of July. That's would it be like if we went that down route."

Hull reached their first FA Cup final with victory over Sheffield United in the semi-finals last weekend.

In a week where Manchester United duo Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley have been disciplined for being pictured out on the town, Bruce said he had no qualms about letting his players off the leash in London to savour the moment.

Hull, KC Stadium, Sport, Football, News, Soccer, Steve Bruce, Tigers, Hull Tigers, Curtis Davies, FA CupNikica Jelavic is set to return to the Hull starting 11 [GETTY]

I'd love to beat Arsenal because that would mean we were 100 per cent safe in my eyes

Steve Bruce

The former United skipper said: "It's very difficult in the society we live in. They're human and there's got to be an element of trust.

"We understand that we're in the public eye and they have to behave themselves. There's nothing wrong with having a night out as long as you behave yourself.

"The time was right. How could I stop them? They'd just got to a FA Cup final. They've got my trust but they know if they do anything wrong they'll get hit with a stick.

"I've got a great group. There's an old-fashioned spirit amongst them - probably because we've got five Irishman.

"There's a great camaraderie. They ended up having a great night out in London by the sound of it. They started together but where they ended up I don't know. I don't want to know."

Arsenal will be hoping to make the most of top-four rivals Everton's slip-up against Crystal Palace in midweek and the return to form of Olivier Giroud.

Yet even though the French striker has scored 20 goals this season, manager Arsene Wenger says he still needs to improve.

Wenger wants Giroud to take advantage of his physical presence and score more with his head. Only two of his goals this season - against Crystal Palace and Newcastle - have been headers.

"He has scored 20 goals; that is a great record and he is working very hard for the team," said Wenger. "Maybe he has improved his finishing but there is still some room for improvement. You expect him to score more headers.

"He wins a lot of headers coming from deep. But the headers coming from wide areas he can improve."

Hull, KC Stadium, Sport, Football, News, Soccer, Steve Bruce, Tigers, Hull Tigers, Curtis Davies, FA CupHull will need to stop a resurgent Olivier Giroud [GETTY]

Giroud is Arsenal's only frontline striker, with the competition being the troubled Nicklas Bendtner and the rookie Yaya Sanogo. He has played 51 games for club and country this season and while Wenger recognises the advantage of Giroud knowing he is the main man, that has been counter-balanced by fatigue.

"He has done well," said Wenger. "But he has gone through a more difficult period recently. It was a bit physical and mental as well with what happened to him. For a while he played maybe too many games. Maybe we should have rested him a bit earlier.

"Up front it's difficult because every challenge he goes into is physical. He's not a guy who moves away from people to get the ball. He's a guy who fights with people to get the ball. When he comes out of the game he has 50 fights behind him. That is more demanding than the guy who just runs away.

"It's also difficult for a striker because you need confidence. You need to be challenged but not too much because if you know you do not score for one game then another player comes in, you are not confident enough.

"It's difficult to find the right balance. If you look across Europe all the big teams they play basically with the same striker."

Giroud had scored only one in seven games before his sublime strike against West Ham in the 3-1 victory on Tuesday, but Wenger said he never doubted he would bounce back.

"He has a great mentality," said Wenger. "The quality of the goal gives him confidence again, gives him credibility again for people who questioned his ability, so that is important."

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