I'm so happy to be playing again, says Walcott

Theo Walcott was delighted to make his first Arsenal start for a year in the 2-0 FA Cup third-round win over Hull, admitting it was "nice to blow the cobwebs away".

Walcott spurned a pair of clear chances to join Per Mertesacker and Alexis Sanchez on the scoresheet but was pleased to get 75 minutes of action under his belt before making way for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

"It's amazing," he told the BBC. "Obviously it's been a whole year now, to the day. It's nice to get my first start. It’s nice to blow the cobwebs away.

"I had a lot of chances - it'll come, I’m not putting too much pressure on myself. As long as I'm getting those chances early on, I’m pleased."

Walcott conceded the route back towards full fitness has been a tough one mentally, but he is relishing the prospect of further action alongside Alexis in the Arsenal forward line.

"I think mentally it is very hard when you are in the treatment room alone, when your team-mates are going out to train or going to the World Cup," he added.

"But I had a lot going on in my life off the field which helped me keep going."