Walcott brace sets up happy anniversary for Wenger

Theo Walcott’s purple patch continued as he scored a first-half brace in Arsenal’s Champions League victory over Basel.

Basel, who have a good record on English soil in Europe, never looked in the game as Alexis Sanchez, Alex Iwobi and Santi Cazorla starred in the final home game before Arsene Wenger’s 20th anniversary as Arsenal boss on Saturday.

Nacho Monreal was the first to test Tomas Vaclik, shooting low at the Basel goalkeeper. but there was nothing Vaclik could do moments later as Walcott timed his run perfectly to head home Sanchez’s cross and put the Gunners ahead.

The same pairing combined for the second as Walcott exchanged passes with Sanchez before slotting home low into the corner of Vaclik’s goal.

The England international then flew down the right before pulling the ball back to Cazorla, who rolled in Sanchez only for the forward to see his effort well saved.

Vaclik kept Basel in the game and saved again from Hector Bellerin after another smart pass from Walcott set the full-back clear.

Arsenal’s game lost a little fluidity after the interval but Iwobi should have done better with an effort just before the hour when he arrowed an effort wide of the post.

Basel had offered nothing in attack but came close when David Ospina, Wenger’s preferred goalkeeper in Europe, was forced to tip Birkir Bjarnason’s dipping shot over his crossbar.

The Colombian flapped at a corner soon after but Bjarnason could only scoop over as the ball fell to him at the back post. That seemed to wake Arsenal from their slumber but Sanchez was guilty of spurning a marvellous chance as he guided Walcott’s cross wide when free in front of goal.