Walcott double seals Arsenal win in thrilling derby

Arsenal came back from 2-0 down to win a thrilling North London derby 5-2 on Sunday afternoon to remain fourth place in the Premier League. Goals from Sagna, Van Persie, Rosicky and two from Walcott sealed a remarkable comeback against rivals Tottenham as the Gunners won their first game in three games. It was a perfect response from the team who on the back of defeats to Sunderland in the FA Cup and AC Milan in the Champions League. Arsene Wenger made quite a few key changes to the side that played in the Cup a week ago as Gibbs played his first league game since returning from injury, whilst Koscielny was also again fit after injury. Oxlade-Chamberlain rested as Yossi Benayoun took his place whilst Ramsey missed out with an injury. Carl Jenkinson came off the bench to play his first game in the first team since returning from injury. Ex Gunner, Emmanuel Adebayor play against his former side for Tottenham.

Rosicky was on the scoresheet as he played one of the best matches he has ever played in an Arsenal shirt

Just 4 minutes into the game,  Spurs were ahead through Louis Saha. Adebayor picked up the ball and fed Saha in who got into the penalty area and hit a shot which deflected off Vermaelen and looped over Szczesny into the back of the net.

Arsenal's first chance of the game fell to Van Persie as he hit a sweetely struck shot from the edge of the area which took a slight deflection and went wide of the goal. From the resulting corner Thomas Rosicky met the ball with his head but Friedel was there to turn the ball over the bar.

Just after the half hour mark Spurs were 2-0 ahead. Gareth Bale was put through and then seemed to go down under the challenge of Szczesny and a penalty was awarded. However it appeared that no contact was made with Bale and it was actually a dive. Emmanuel Adebayor took the penalty and comfortably slotted the ball past Szczesny.

Five minutes before the break, Arsenal were back into the game. The original chance came off the post from a Van Persie effort. It then found its way to Arteta who floated the ball into the box and into Sagna who headed the ball past Friedel for 2-1.

Arsenal then found an equaliser as Van Persie curled home his 29th goal of the season. Ekotto could only clear the ball as far as the Arsenal captain who turned two Spurs players before curling the ball beyond Friedel from the edge of the area.

The score at half time was 2-2.

Just five minutes into the second half the comeback was complete as Rosicky found the net to make it 3-2. Rosicky managed to break forward and then play the ball out wide to Sagna who then found Rosicky once more inside the box to stab the ball home for his first goal in a year.

Rosicky then became chance creator as he poked the ball through to Walcott who sprinted clear of the Spurs defence before firing a shot inches wide of the far post.

Walcott, coming off the back of heavy critisism made it 4-2 to Arsenal with a brilliant finish past Friedel. The ball was played over the top towards Van Persie who held the play up and then found Walcott who got into the penalty area before clipping the ball over Friedel to extend the Gunners' lead.

The rout was complete just three minutes later as Walcott grabbed his second of the season, to make it 5-2 to Arsenal. Song picked the ball up out wide and then chipped the ball over the Tottenham defence into the path of Walcott, who once again got clear and then buried the ball beyond the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

Rosicky was then given the chance to grab his second of the game as he played a one-two with Walcott before curling the ball past the post from just outside the penalty area.

The defeat was then made worse for Spurs as in the dying moments of the game Scott Parker recieved his second yellow card of the match for a challenge on Vermaelen and was sent off.

The final score finished Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham on a day in which it was a great day to be a Gooner as the Emirates crowd had never been heard louder all season.

The teams lineups:

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs(75), Song, Arteta, Rosicky, Walcott(81), Benayoun(88), Van Persie.
Subs: Fabianski, Miquel, Jenkinson(75), Gervinho(88), Oxlade-Chamberlain(81), Park, Chamakh.

Tottenham: Friedel, Walker, King(82), Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Kranjcar(46), Parker, Modric, Bale, Saha(46), Adebayor.
Subs: Cudicini, Dawson(82), Rose, Sandro(46), Van der Vaart(46), Lennon, Defoe.

My man of the match: Thomas Rosicky

Referee: Mike Dean
Attendance: 60,106