Walcott double in Gunners rout

The 18-year-old - thrust into the spotlight following his controversial inclusion in Sven-Goran Eriksson's ill-fated World Cup squad last summer - had been threatening to explode for several weeks, and delivered the performance of his young career as the Czechs were simply swept aside by the Barclays Premier League leaders.

Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas weighed in with a well-taken brace, while Alexander Hleb and Nicklas Bendtner also finished smartly, with a David Hubacek own-goal completing the rout.

It took just five minutes for Fabregas set the Gunners on their way to their biggest win at home in Europe since 1991, when the ball fell kindly him on the edge of the area before he curled an effort past Prague keeper Martin Vaniak, whom you suspected would be in for a busy night.

And so it proved as the Gunners doubled their lead after 24 minutes. Slavia failed to deal with a ball into their six-yard box from the right, and it dropped at the feet of Hleb. Vaniak looked to have his angled drive covered, only for defender David Hubacek to stick out a leg and take the ball in the opposite direction, into the back of the net.

Vaniak then made a smart save to deny an Emmanuel Adebayor header, but he was at fault for the third goal making a complete hash of an attempted clearance, and gifted possession to Walcott. The England starlet still had some work to do, but showed quick feet to expertly round the stranded keeper and slot the ball between two rapidly retreating defenders from 18 yards.

With another victory in the bag, Arsenal were able to play with freedom following the restart. That proved more bad news for Slavia, as Hleb made it 4-0 after 51 minutes, turning the defence inside out down the left and drilling a low strike past Vaniak.

The crowd were soon on their feet again when the impressive Belorussian slipped Walcott away with a sliderule pass inside the full-back, and the teenager promptly stabbed the ball in off the far post.

It was six when Arsenal broke quickly after defending a corner through the all-action Hleb in a sweeping move which involved Adebayor and Walcott, who unselfishly sent Fabregas in for his second.

Walcott then almost had the final say, only for Vaniak to produce a superb point-blank save to deny the Arsenal striker a deserved hat-trick. Substitute Nicklas Bendtner tapped in a seventh on the stroke of full-time, but it was Walcott's performance which will have captured the imagination.