Welcome to the first game of the day, where Arsenal are looking for their first win in five league games and Arsene Wenger could well be looking to revitalise this era. He called the recent results a “mini-crisis” yesterday but, in truth, it’s difficult to see it as anything other than another episode in a bigger tapestry. And, despie Blackburn’s position and general problems, they aren’t exactly pushovers. This could be a surprisingly difficult game for Arsenal.

Teams:

Arsenal: Szczesny, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Coquelin, Song, Rosicky, Arteta, Walcott, van Persie, Oxlade-Chamberlain. Subs: Fabianski, Sagna, Park, Henry, Ramsey, Arshavin, Benayoun.

Blackburn: Robinson, Lowe, Dann, Givet, Martin Olsson, Pedersen, Petrovic, Nzonzi, Hoilett, Dunn, Modeste. Subs: Bunn, Formica, Orr, Rochina, Goodwillie, Vukcevic, Hanley.

And we’re off.

Arsenal looking to maintain possession at the moment and draw Blackburn out.

GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Blackburn Rovers

What a start. That was a bit of a low-rent version of Holland-West Germany 1974. After maintaining possession for the first minute, Walcott eventually squares for Robin van Persie to simply tap home from yards. Easy.

A moment of pressure from Blackburn falls apart with a rampant-looking Arsenal then tearing up the pitch. The ball eventually falls to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who fires wide. There are going to be a lot of goals in this game.

Van Persie threatening at the edge of the box again, but Blackburn scrambles it away.

That, by the by, was only Van Persie’s second fastest goal of the season. He scored against Sunderland after 29 seconds on 16 October.

Arsenal in such control that Rosicky tries a needless flick. They shouldn’t get too ahead of themselves. It’s only 1-0… although as I type that, Oxlade-Chamberlain gets around the back and fires wide.

That, also, was Van Persie’s 100th goal in the Premier League.

Not too much evidence of protest at the Emirates either, with no bin liners on view. I suppose that early goal, also, would have done a fair amount to quell recent nerves about Wenger.

Blackburn illustrate their threat, however, with Modeste eventually colliding with Szczesny. The goalkeeper is in pain at the moment. The slightest touch on that ball, however, and it would have been 1-1. Again, a warning for Arsenal not to get too complacent. Blackburn haven’t struggled for goals this season.

Modeste has been booked for that challenge. A little harsh it seems. He couldn’t but fly forwards for that cross.

Good stuff from Arsenal as a move ends with Walcott pulling back for Rosicky who volleys at a defender. Van Persie might have been a better option since he was in a similar position to the goal but Blackburn must have learned from that. They’ve really congested space ahead of Walcot.

Van Persie fires over a deep cross but Vermaelen can’t quite connect. Arsenal win a corner which Per Mertesacker then gets his head onto but it bounces over the bar.

Modeste a persistent threat for Blackburn up front, holding off Koscielny there to win a dangerous free-kick…

GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Blackburn Rovers

And Pedersen scores it. Shock for Arsenal. Supreme free. The Norwegian guides it into the top corner with power. Szczesny got a hand but there was no stopping that.

Game stopped for a few minutes as the injured Jason Lowe goes off for debutant Bradley Orr.

Delightful move from Arsenal with Rosicky dummying to release Van Persie, but he fires far too high.

GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Blackburn Rovers

Great response Arsenal. Song plays a through-ball which completely catches out Jonas Olsson. Walcott has plenty of time and space, then, to pick out Van Persie and make it 2-1.

GOAL! Arsenal 3-1 Blackburn Rovers

Another flowing Arsenal move that exploits Blackburn’s full-backs, another Van Prsie masterpiece… but this time Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with the finish. The Dutchman receives the ball on the edge of goal, turns and releases the winger. He then easily rounds Robinson to make it 3-1.

Red card! Gael Givet

This is over for Blackburn and could turn into a rout. It’s a two-footed lunge on Van Persie and the Frenchman can have few complaints. Madness.

Blackburn sub: David Dunn goes off for Grant Hanley. A necessary change for Steve Kean but they’ve basically just ceded any chance of this game. Damage limitation now.

Half-time: Arsenal 3-1 Blackburn Rovers

This is over unless Arsenal “do an Arsenal”.

Second half is underway.

GOAL! Arsenal 4-1 Blackburn Rovers

A corner is touched out to the edge of the box, where Mikel Arteta drives at goal. It might be going wide but a deflection diverts it past Robinson. This has turned into a rout.

GOAL! Arsenal 5-1 Blackburn Rovers

Arsenal are now absolutely rampant. Walcott cuts down the right and then into the heart of the Blackburn defence, squaring for Oxlade-Chamberlain who then fired home for his second.

That’s the 58th goal Paul Robinson has conceded against Arsenal in the Premier League.

I was about to say that this is exactly the sort of game where Walcott steps up and performs. Completely open, nothing really on the table, pressure off. But, to be fair, he did set up the first two key goals.

It’s party time as Oxlade-Chamberlain eviscerates Blackburn’s left-hand side then clips over but Arteta blazes over the volley. Wonderful trickery on the wing from the youngster.

GOAL! Arsenal 6-1 Blackburn Rovers

And a rout turns into an embarrassment. Coquelin cuts across for Van Persie and, first time and with his sidefoot, the Dutchman claims his hat-trick with a supreme finish.

And there’s Blackburn’s problem right there. The ball bounced across in the box and, just eight yards from goal, he was given ample time to tee up a shot. Of course, being Walcott, he blazed it over the bar.

Benayoun now coming on for Arsenal. Oxlade-Chamberlain has already gone off

With about an hour gone, this looked like it could have ended up about nine. Arsenal seemed to have shown a bit of mercy and are just spraying the ball about at the moment.

Thierry Henry on for Arsenal now so that might lead to a few more goals as the rest of the team will for him to score.

Worse for Arsenal: had they only lost by four today, they’d have stayed where they are in the table. As it is, they’ve dropped one.

Rosicky cuts through and is brought down in the box with a hint of a penalty but Hanley gets a good touch on it.

Walcott tries to dink it over for a waiting Henry in the area but Blackburn get a head to clear. This final seven minutes will basically be about getting the Frenchman a goal.

Blackburn get their first corner of the game… in injury-time.

Benayoun fires at Robinson on the half-volley. Easily stopped though.

GOAL! Arsenal 7-1 Blackburn Rovers

And there it is. Henry gets his goal. Although, as lovely as the moment is (for anyone except Blackburn), it did illustrate his decline. First, Henry pick-pocketed Hanley on the halfway. About six years ago, he would have raced away and finished it himself. As it was, he was caught, played it to Van Persie, who then played it back, allowing Henry an easy finish. Wenger smiles on the line.

And that’s it. An embarrassment for Blackburn as Arsenal took full advantage of the extra space from Givet’s red card to run rampant. Thierry Henry scored and Alex-OXlade Chamberlain improved his burgeoning reputation with two but the hero of the day was Robin Van Persie. he hit a hat-trick and provided two other assists to get Arsenal right bac on track in emphatic fashion. Most importantly, that will give confidence after a shaky period. Blackburn’s will be ruined, mind, as the scale of that defeat actually sees them drop back a place on goal difference.