ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE/Derby County 2 Arsenal 6:THE SOONER this season ends, the better for Derby County, because this could have been double figures. They were humiliated last night, especially during the second half, when for long periods Arsenal barely allowed them a kick.
Just about every time the winners attacked they created a good chance, and the final scoreline did not reflect their superiority.
Such was the statistical, technical and aesthetic gulf that seemed to yawn between these teams beforehand, the only doubt in some people's minds was over Arsenal's margin of victory.
Nicklas Bendtner's opening goal, the Dane taking advantage of a mix-up between Robbie Savage and Darren Moore to exchange passes with Robin Van Persie and shoot past Roy Carroll from around eight yards, seemed to have put paid to any thoughts of an upset.
However, rather incredibly Derby equalised. Savage swung in a free-kick from the left, Jay McEveley and Moore jumped for it, and the ball fell kindly for McEveley to prod past Lukasz Fabianski, making his Premiership debut for Arsène Wenger's team.
The natural order was quickly reasserted. Kolo Toure looked up and hit a fine diagonal ball to Van Persie, waiting in the penalty area after having beaten the offside trap - such as it was - by a good yard. The Dutchman controlled the ball on his chest and smashed a right-footed volley on the turn past Carroll.
Emanuel Adebayor appeared immediately afterwards in place of Van Persie. Soon afterwards, shortly after a three-minute period during which Derby touched the ball once, Arsenal made it three. Walcott, whose pace embarrassed the Derby back four throughout, cut the ball back and Adebayor was waiting to touch the ball home.
Rob Earnshaw pulled one back in the 77th minute but Walcott responded with a brilliant curler.
Adebayor with a late double completed his hat-trick.
Guardian Service
DERBY:Carroll, Todd, Moore, Stubbs, McEveley, Mears, Savage, Ghaly (Feilhaber 60), Lewis, Villa, Sterjovski (Earnshaw 69). Subs not used: Price, Edworthy, Beardsley. Goals: McEveley 31, Earnshaw 77.
ARSENAL:Fabianski, Toure (Djourou 78), Gallas, Song Billong, Clichy, Eboue, Fabregas, Denilson (Silva 64), Walcott, Van Persie (Adebayor 46), Bendtner. Subs not used: Almunia, Senderos. Goals: Bendtner 25, Van Persie 39, Adebayor 59, Walcott 78, Adebayor 81, 90.
Referee:Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
