Arsenal winger Theo Walcott has revealed that he is eagerly anticipating his return to the starting lineup when his side face Hull City in the third round of the FA Cup.

The 25-year-old sustained a serious injury against Tottenham Hotspur at the same stage of the competition last season, and was ruled out for the rest of the year as he missed his side's triumph in the tournament, as well as England's World Cup campaign.

However, Walcott has claimed that he was not too downhearted to miss out on those opportunities, and he believes that the time out has made him a better player.

He told reporters: "Things happen for a reason. That last year, it has gone very quickly. There have been loads of things in my life that have changed completely. I have had the opportunity to work on different parts of my game, which I missed out on when I was younger.

"Now, I am really looking forward to playing, if I am given the opportunity. It is the chance to go out there and get a few more minutes.

"I am not going to be expecting too much from myself early on. But it is nice to blow the cobwebs away, to be honest, and be out there playing with your mates again. I have missed that."

Walcott has featured three times off the bench for the Gunners this season.