ARSENAL

Emmanuel Adebayor was the hat-trick hero this time as Theo Walcott returned to club duty in a comfortable victory for Arsenal.

The 19-year-old returned to the side after his superb treble for England and set up the opening goal for Robin van Persie in the eighth minute.

Walcott looked full of confidence following his demolition of Croatia and with a Champions League match against Dynamo Kiev to come on Wednesday, he played only 63 minutes.

He was given a rapturous reception by the visiting supporters and a few of the home ones as well.

It was Adebayor who carried the main threat in this match and he was in irrepressible form.

Arsenal stamped their mark on the match with a marvellous goal in the eighth minute and Walcott was at the heart of the move.

He cut inside and weaved his way past a couple of players before picking out van Persie in the penalty area. The Dutch international showed the deftest of touches to beat goalkeeper Paul Robinson with a shot into the corner.

Blackburn hit back and almost equalised two minutes later, only for Manuel Almunia to show superb reflexes and tip Roque Santa Cruz's effort over the top.

Arsenal were spraying the ball about well and van Persie came close to adding to his tally in the 29th minute. However he found the side-netting with his effort.

Blackburn were making a decent fist of it, however, and Emerton made space in the 33rd minute only for Almunia to block his effort.

Five minutes later Gael Clichy did well to head away an inswinging cross from Morten Gamst Pedersen.

Emerton then tried to pick out Santa Cruz, only for Kolo Toure to make a timely interception at the back post.

Arsenal responded immediately in the 41st minute but van Persie's left-foot effort was marginally off-target.

It was an open match and Pedersen whipped in a free-kick two minutes later that went wide of the post and Santa Cruz's header failed to trouble Almunia.

Arsenal added a second in stoppage-time and questions must be asked of the Blackburn defence.

Adebayor was left unmarked at the back post and took full advantage of the home side's carelessness by heading home for his first goal of the Barclays Premier League campaign.

The Arsenal fans were on their feet two minutes into the second half when Walcott skipped away from Ryan Nelsen and homed in on goal.

Warnock raced across to try to avert the danger but England's rising star still managed to sting Robinson's fingers with his effort.

Arsenal kept up the pressure and Toure found Walcott but his cross was headed wide by Adebayor.

Walcott then saw his shot spin off Nelsen for a corner following a flowing move that split open the defence

Blackburn found themselves on the back foot again with both Toure and Emmanuel Eboue coming close to extending their advantage.

Toure was left frustrated at failing to score with a header while Eboue's effort from distance was gathered safely by Robinson.

Arsenal made it 3-0 in the 81st minute when Warnock was adjudged to have blocked Eboue in the penalty area.

Adebayor remained to cool to score his second goal of the match from the spot and seal an emphatic victory.

And the Togo international completed his hat-trick in stoppage-time with a cool finish after a splendid through ball from substitute Jack Wilshere.