Walcott double as Arsenal beat BATE

Arsenal forward Theo Walcott scores a double as the Gunners win 4-2 at Bate Borisov to top their Europa League group.

The Premiership side got off to a flying start and were three goals up within 25 minutes.

Walcott opened the scoring from close range in nine minutes and doubled his account in 22 minutes after pouncing on a slack clearance from Bate keeper Denis Scherbitski.

Defender Rick Holding scored his first goal for Arsenal moments later after Per Mertesacker knock down from a Walcott corner.

The Belarus side pulled one back just before the half hour with a Mirko Ivanic header, but the visitors' three-goal advantage was restored soon after the break when Olivier Giroud calmly poked home his 100th goal for the club from the penalty spot.

Arsenal, who meet Brighton at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, a match which will be shown live on BT Sport 1 [kick off 12 noon]., conceded a second midway through the second half when Mikhail Gordeychuk blasted home from close range.

Walcott said: "I thought we pressed well and attacked well as a unit, especially in the first 60 minutes .

"Obviously we were disappointed with the goals we conceded. We don't want to be conceding sloppy goals like we did, but, on the other hand, when you score four goals away from home you are always likely to win games."

The England international came close on several occasions to bagging a sixth Gunners hat-trick, and revealed he selflessly let Giroud take the spot-kick to join him in a century of goals for Arsenal.

He added: "Being a forward, you want to score as many goals as you can. There was chances and I could have taken the penalty, but knowing Olivier was on 99 goals, it is a great moment in his career to get 100 for Arsenal. I've achieved that myself so that is why he took the penalty."

Arsenal top Group H with a maximum six points from their opening two games, with Red Star Belgrade second on four points after beating Cologne 1-0 on Thursday.

Image: Getty Images/ Alexander Mysyakin

There's no Champions League for Arsenal for the first time in 21 years, but you can watch the Gunners in Europa League action on the eir Sport package. The Gunners face Bundesliga side FC Koln, BATE Borisov and Red Star Belgrade in Group H. Their Premier League game against Brighton at the Emirates on Sunday, 1 October will be shown live on BT Sport 1 [kick off 12 noon].