Arsenal 6-0 BATE Borisov: Jack Wilshere scores first Gunners goal since May 2015 as hosts record emphatic victory in final Europa League group game
- Mathieu Debuchy opened the scoring for Arsenal in the 11th minute against BATE Borisov on Thursday night
- Theo Walcott then doubled the lead for the Gunners on 37 minutes with Arsenal dominating proceedings
- Just minutes later, Jack Wilshere added a third with a fierce left-footed strike on the edge of the area
- Denis Polyakov then put into his own net just five minutes into the second period at the Emirates
- Olivier Giroud then scored from the penalty spot before Mohamed Elneny added a brilliant sixth
- There were vast swathes of empty seats at the Emirates for what was a dead-rubber clash
Second string but no need to get out of second gear as Arsenal completed the pre-Christmas phase of the Europa League with consummate ease.
Long-awaited goals in red and white for Mathieu Debuchy and Jack Wilshere were among the highlights in what was effectively a glorified training ground exercise.
There was also a swaggering performance from Theo Walcott that suggested his Arsenal career may not be drawing to a close anytime soon.
Arsenal thrashed BATE Borisov 6-0 on Thursday night with midfielder Mohamed Elneny scoring a brilliant final goal
The Egyptian midfielder curled the ball home from the edge of the penalty area as BATE's players watch on
Olivier Giroud put Arsenal 5-0 ahead from the penalty spot after Theo Walcott was brought down in the penalty area
The France international wheels off to celebrate with the ball under his Arsenal shirt at the Emirates
Giroud slotted the ball into the right hand corner after being asked to retake it following encroachment into the area
Denis Polyakov (left) scored an own goal just five minutes into the second half as Arsenal went 4-0 in front
Polyakov (right) shows his dejection after putting into his own net as Borisov went even further behind in the second half
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PLAYER RATINGS AND MATCH ZONE
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Ospina 6; Debuchy 7, Chambers 6.5, Holding 6.5, Maitland-Niles 7; Coquelin 7, Elneny 7 (Willock 78); Walcott (c) 8.5 (Nelson 71, 6), Wilshere 8, Welbeck 7 (Nketiah 78); Giroud 7
Subs not used: Macey (GK); Sheaf, Reine-Adelaide, Akpom
Manager: Arsene Wenger 7
Goals : Debuchy 11; Walcott 37; Wilshere 42; Polyakov own goal 51; Giroud pen 64; Elneny 76
BATE BORISOV (4-2-3-1): Scherbitski 6.5; Rios 6, Polyakov 4, Milunovic 5, M. Volodko 5; Berezkin 6, Dragun 5; Gordeichuk 5, Ivanic 5 (Yablonski 77), Stasevich 5 (Tuominen 69, 6); Rodionov (c) 5 (Signevich 56, 6)
Subs not used: Chicken (GK); Buljat, Baga, Gvilia
Manager: Aleksandr Yermakovich 5
Booked: Volodko
Referee: Robert Schorgenhofer (Austria) 6
Attendance: 54,648
Man of the Match: Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
This is how Jack Wilshere put Arsenal 3-0 ahead on Thursday night at the Emirates. CLICK HERE to find out more from our brilliant MATCH ZONE.
Arsenal topped their group with 13 points as Red Star Belgrade finished runners-up after beating Cologne on Thursday
'The boss told us to enjoy ourselves and we played with a lot of freedom,' said Walcott. 'There is plenty of competition when you play for Arsenal.
'We are doing our best to give the manager a headache to pick us for the team.'
He did just that, as did Wilshere, on a night when a dead rubber for already-qualified Arsenal in front of a half-empty crowd at the Emirates turned into a goal glut.
The official attendance was announced as 54,648 but the reality was around 30,000. But those who turned up were richly entertained.
'I believe it was done in a stylish way,' said Arsene Wenger. 'We can say the opponent was not the level of the Premier League but you can only do your job and that is what we did in a convincing way.'
They led after just 11 minutes when Walcott, whom Wenger insists will not be sold to Everton in January, teed up Debuchy to smash home his first Arsenal goal in over three years.
Jack Wilshere put Arsenal 3-0 ahead and completely out of sight with an emphatic left-footed finish at the Emirates
The English midfielder scored his first competitive goal for Arsenal since May 2015 against West Brom
Wilshere gave BATE keeper Denis Shcherbitski no chance of saving his shot after rifling the ball home into the corner
The contest was sewn up before half-time with Walcott capitalising on Nemanja Milunovic's abysmal clearance to score from close-range before Wilshere rifled home a lovely third from the edge of the box.
His first Arsenal goal since May 2015 must have been a satisfying moment. 'For 70 minutes in the game he was dominant in midfield on the creative side and that is very good news for us,' added Wenger.
The visitors from Belarus crumbled further after the break, with the hapless Denis Polyakov whacking Walcott's cross into his own net.
Milunovic then fouled Walcott in the box, allowing Olivier Giroud to stroke home the fifth from the spot.
And it was six of the best when Mohamed Elneny deftly curled a shot into the top corner from Wilshere's pass.
Theo Walcott doubled the home side's lead in the 36th minute against BATE with a tidy finish from close range
28-year-old English forward Walcott enjoyed plenty of the ball as the opposition failed to exert any pressure on the hosts
Walcott pictured firing Arsenal's second home on what was a very comfortable night in north London for the Gunners
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger takes a step away from his seat as assistant boss Steve Bould watches on
Calum Chambers attempts to wriggle his way past the Borisov defence as Arsenal dominated proceedings
Visiting goalkeeper Shcherbitski makes a save to deny Arsenal during the opening minutes on Thursday night
Mathieu Debuchy opened the scoring for the Gunners in the 11th minute with a fierce right-footed strike on edge of the area
Debuchy's early emphatic opener against the Belarusian outfit was Arsenal's 100th goal of 2017
French right back Debuchy is mobbed by Giroud, Francis Coquelin and Walcott after putting Arsenal ahead
Ainsley Maitland-Niles tries to evade the pressure from Evgeni Berezkin during the early stages on Thursday night
Plenty of Arsenal fans stayed away from the Emirates after already topping their Europa League group last time out
Arsenal and BATE played in front of a small crowd on Thursday in what was a dead-rubber European clash
Outside the stadium, Arsenal announced that Arsenal's last group stage clash with BATE Borisov had 'sold out'
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