Gunners put six past Saints

Gervinho scored a brace as Arsenal romped to an impressive 6-1 Barclays Premier League victory over Southampton.

The visitors resembled a rabbit in the headlights for most of the first half as they failed to deal with Arsenal's pace and directness - epitomised as early as the 11th minute as Jos Hooiveld accidentally put into his own net. Lukas Podolski bent in a 25-yard free-kick as the onslaught continued, before Gervinho rifled home and Nathaniel Clyne netted an own goal to make it 4-0.

Wojciech Szczesny's clanger denied the north Londoners a fourth successive clean sheet to start the season as the returning Poland international flapped at a cross late in the first half and Danny Fox lashed home. It proved a mere consolation, though, as Gervinho and former Southampton winger Theo Walcott netted in a more-even second period.