Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to dismiss sentiment and make "tough" selection decisions ahead of the FA Cup final against Hull City at Wembley.

Wenger's primary selection dilemma is in goal where Lukasz Fabianski – who has played every round of the competition including the semi-final penalty shoot-out win over Wigan Athletic where he saved spot-kicks from Gary Caldwell and Jack Collison – is in competition with No.1 Wojciech Szczesny.

Szczesny, who shared the Premier League golden glove with Chelsea's Petr Cech after 16 clean sheets in the top flight this season, is expected to be given the nod in similar fashion to the way Wenger recalled David Seaman for the 2003 cup final against Southampton, having entrusted Richard Wright with guiding the Gunners through the early rounds.

Though Wenger admits team selection decisions are tough, he is prepared to forgo romanticism in order to orchestrate winning Arsenal's first trophy since 2005.

"For me my job is to make decisions that are sometimes tough and for the players it is to deal with the decisions that are sometimes tough," Wenger said. "It was a harsh decision on him yes but the payers have to suffer at some stage in their career.

"It's hard but I believe that it is much harder to lose the game so you do what it takes to win the game."

The showcase final against Hull represents Arsenal's first chance to end their trophy drought since the 2011 League Cup final, where Obafemi Martins's late goal in calamitous circumstances inspired victory for eventually-relegated Birmingham City.

Hull, though Steve Bruce's side achieved Premier League survival with relative ease, embody a similarly hazardous banana-skin for Arsenal but Wenger is only focused on looking forward.

"I don't reflect on it [the Birmingham defeat] at all," he said. "It's a different game and it was in the middle of the season, I don't think about it.

"The good thing in our job is you only have to think about the next game, never look back. Other people can do that for you and just look in front of you and for the next game.

"You never think it takes a long time [to win another trophy]," the French boss added. "It matters because we have many fans, it matters for us because it's a sign that you win and that's what you want to do. The fans want you to win and the fans want you to be happy and win trophies."

Arsene Wenger