Arsenal 5 Benfica 2: Theo Walcott bags a brace as the Gunners run riot at the Emirates… but their defence still looks fragile

ALEXIS SANCHEZ may be dominating the headlines – but it was Theo Walcott and Sead Kolasinac who stole the show as the Gunners ran riot at the Emirates.

As the wantaway Chilean nurses his ‘illness’, he would have watched Walcott score twice and assist Arsenal’s third in their penultimate game before facing Chelsea in the Community Shield.

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Olivier Giroud then proved to £52million signing Alexandre Lacazette that he is not willing to give up his role as the main striker with a tidy finish to score the Gunners’ fourth.

But for all of Arsenal’s slick movement going forward, Arsene Wenger’s defence looked as fragile as ever.

The one shining light was new signing Kolasinac who showed bags of energy in his left wing-back role.

The Bosnian, who signed on a free transfer, could prove to be the bargain of the summer after playing a role in three of Arsenal’s goals.

But their makeshift first-half defence of which included Per Mertesacker, Rob Holding and Ainsley Maitland-Niles was carved open after just 11 minutes.

Franco Servi found too much space in the area and his low shot went through the gangly legs of Mertesacker and into the net.

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Walcott lashed home the equaliser when he met Kolasanic's chipped cross.

The England winger, sporting a questionable new haircut, then doubled his tally with the easiest of finishes eight minutes later.

Wenger was left furious with his side's defending when Eduardo Salvio levelled the tie.

A horrible error by Holding, who was replaced at half-time by Calum Chambers, allowed Benfica to break before Salvio's deflected strike beat David Ospina.

With the scores level at the interval, Arsenal put Benfica to the sword in the second half with Giroud, Alex Iwobi and a Lisandro Lopez own goal adding to the scoreline.