ARSENAL came back from a goal down to demolish Stoke's League Cup challenge last night, with Ian Wright revelling in his rich vein of form and scoring twice.

Stoke are no mugs and they proved this after 34 minutes when they took the lead. Steve Bould's pass to Paul Merson was intercepted by Graham Kavanagh in the visitors' half and Stoke broke forward at speed. Kavanagh's pass deflected off Patrick Vieira and fell perfectly into the path of Sheron who slotted home his 13th goal of the season.

Stoke had already gone close twice, once when a David Seaman clearance richocheted off Sheron and Tony Adams was relieved to clear in front of an open goal.

Three minutes before the break Arsenal equalised. Vieira pushed a ball through to Dennis Bergkamp in the area and as he tried to turn Mark Devlin, the Dutchman tumbled to the ground. The referee gave the penalty which Wright converted for his 14th goal of the season.

No sooner were Arsenal out for the second half than they scored again. Wright's cross sailed invitingly across goal and there, running in, was David Platt who dived to meet the speeding ball, then suddenly realised that the only way he would reach it before it flashed by was to nudge the ball over the line with his chest. Bellyflop completed the England midfieder celebrated only his second goal of the season.

Stoke were giving Arsenal too much space and this was the problem after 74 minutes when Arsenal scored their third. Carl Muggleton fumbled Bergkamp's up and under for a corner which the Dutchman swung in over the covering defenders and into the path of the unmarked Wright, who headed number 15 of the season.

Arsenal were rampant now and four minutes later Wright turned provider for Bergkamp to set up number four.

Six minutes later and it was 5-1. Lee Dixon broke through the inside right position, held off Whittle, pulled the ball back from the byline, Muggleton got a touch but deflected the ball to Merson who shot home.

. Gordon Strachan had an introduction to management last night that only his worst enemies could have dreamed up, as Coventry lost 1-0 in the League Cup to second division Gillingham who fully deserved the victory they obtained through Neil Smith's goal. Smith scored midway through the second half.