Theo Walcott today revealed how Arsenal’s players held a private clear-the-air meeting in a bid to salvage their season.

The Gunners sealed their first win in six games with a 4-0 win at Hull in last night’s FA Cup fifth-round replay to set up a quarter-final tie against Watford on Sunday.

Last night’s victory came three days after Arsene Wenger’s side salvaged a point with 10 men in the north London derby at Spurs and Walcott believes the players are already reaping the benefits of a frank exchange of views organised by senior squad members.

Petr Cech, Per Mertesacker, Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky arranged the get-together without the manager’s knowledge.

Walcott, who scored twice last night, said: “We are not going to lie — we know as a unit it has been tough and we all had a good chat amongst us behind closed doors, without even any of coaches or the manager knowing about anything. It is important that as a team [to know] we have got it in us.

“We just have to produce it more often. You had a sense of the Tottenham game especially, when you go down to 10 men in a big game like that, the belief and the character was there. The never-give-up spirit was there as well. In the derby matches, they could be the matches that turn your season and we may have turned the corner.

“We have quite a lot of experienced players in the dressing room. It came from Cech, Mikel, Per and Tomas. We have four good old heads there. I’d like to keep what was said among ourselves but it was very important. We have had a reaction from it.

“[The manager] probably knows about it anyway. The manager respects the players’ privacy and what is happening personally among us all. It was a meeting to express how everyone was feeling basically and it worked.”

Only two teams — The Wanderers (1876-1878) and Blackburn Rovers (1884-1886) — have ever won the FA Cup in three successive years and Walcott admits he is motivated by the prospect of joining such an elite group.

“It was a confidence boost to everyone that it was good last night,” Walcott told Standard Sport. “We want to stay in this competition because it is massive for us.

“We want to make those history books and try to push on to Wembley and do it on the third occasion but we have got a big test against Watford first.”

Per Mertesacker suffered a cut eye and dizziness after a heavy collision with Nick Powell but is expected to be fit for Sunday’s game, while Gabriel and Aaron Ramsey will be assessed after suffering hamstring and thigh injuries respectively.

Arsenal’s victory, courtesy of two goals each from Walcott and Olivier Giroud, was not enough to prevent one supporter unveiling a banner demanding Wenger end his 19-and-a-half year stay as manager. The banner, which has appeared at Gunners away games before, read: “Arsene — thanks for the memories but it’s time to say goodbye.”