Full-time. 6-0 to the Gunners and the scoreline reflects the story of the game rather well. Theo Walcott got things going with a well-taken finish early on in the first half before Ian Evatt was controversially sent off for a challenge on Chamakh that appeared to be just outside the area, but was given as a penalty, which Arshavin converted. Walcott then grabbed another two to complete his hat-trick in between a goal from Diaby. Chamakh bagged his first Gunners goal with a header from a corner late on as Arsene Wenger's men thrashed the Seasiders. Arsenal 6-0 Blackpool. Thanks for joining me today.

WILSHERE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY NOW! The youngster dribbles into the penalty area, skipping past two Blackpool defenders, and looks to try a little dink over Gilks, who has gone to ground, but gets it all wrong and miscues his shot straight into the arms of the Blackpool goalkeeper.

FABREGAS WITH A SHOT! The Spain internation receives a pass on the edge of the area and the ball sits up nicely for a shot. Baptiste is slow in closing the midfielder down and he fires a great strike towards the top left-hand corner, but it flies just wide.

Four minutes of added time at the Emirates...

CHANCE FOR ORMEROD! Ishmael plays a short pass to Baptiste on the right side of the Arsenal area and, from a narrow angle, he drills the ball towards the near post to the onrushing Ormerod, who can only prod the ball over the bar under pressure from Sagna. Decent attempt from the substitute.

This has been a great performance from Arsenal, despite the fact that Blackpool are down to 10 men. Arsene Wenger couldn't have asked for much more from his players. A hat-trick for Theo Walcott and a first goal for Chamakh will surely delight the Gunners boss.

GOAL!! CHAMAKH WITH HIS FIRST LEAGUE GOAL FOR ARSENAL! Vela wins a corner after a number of flicks and tricks. Van Persie then takes the corner from the right and curls a great left-footed cross towards the penalty spot. Chamakh rises above Baptiste and Keinan and powers a bullet header past a stranded Gilks in the Blackpool goal. 6-0 now to the Gunners!

Goal Marouane Chamakh

Blackpool earn a free-kick on the right wing and Adam is over it. The Scotland international swings a looping left-footed cross into the area towards Cathcart, but Sagna manages to get there in time to header the ball behind for a corner, which comes to nothing.

Great move from Arsenal. Clichy plays a sharp pass into the feet of Rosicky 25 yards out, and he plays a clever reverse pass to Vela on the left side of the area. The Mexican then takes a touch and looks to cut the ball across the face of goal rather than shoot and the pass gates intercepted. One pass too many from Arsenal.

Van Persie's only just returning from injury but he's down again. The Dutchman stays down before receiving treatment and he's now leaving the field. It looks as though he can play on though as he starts a slight jog down the touchline.

Van Persie makes his first real mark on the game. The Dutchman receives a pass on the left-hand side of the Blackpool area and dwells on the ball before attempting to pick out Fabregas arriving late in the penalty area. The World Cup winner can't quite get on the end of the misplaced pass and Keinan smashes the ball away.

Blackpool have enjoyed a bit of possession in the last few minutes. They showed last season, and indeed away to Wigan last week, that they play good football, but when they come up against the top team they may be undone.

People may say after the game that the score would have been different if Evatt had stayed on the pitch, but judging by the opening stages that wouldn't have been the case. Arsenal had already been through on goal a number of times and had created chance after chance before Evatt was dismissed.

Arsene Wenger gives Theo Walcott his chance to take the plaudits. The winger is replaced by Arsenal's new No.11 Carlos Vela.

Substitution Theo Walcott Carlos Vela

Two changes from Arsenal now. Robin van Persie is on in the place of Arshavin and the skipper Cesc Fabregas is back and replaces Diaby.

WHAT A MISS FROM CHAMAKH!! Arshavin bursts away down the left wing and drives the ball across the face of goal to a completely unmarked Chamakh. The Moroccan has the simple task of tapping the ball into the empty net but somehow blazes the ball over the bar!

Substitution Andrey Arshavin Robin van Persie

Substitution Abou Diaby Cesc Fàbregas

Blackpool made their final two changes just before Walcott's goal. Brett Ormerod replaced Marlon Harewood up front, while Ishmael Demontagnac came on for Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

Goal Theo Walcott

GOAL!! WALCOTT COMPLETES HIS HAT-TRICK!! Sagna finds Diaby around 25 yards out and he picks out Walcott just outside the penalty area. The England star cuts inside, evading a couple of challenges, before curling the ball left-footed into bottom left-hand corner. That's 5-0 now to Arsenal and it could get worse for Blackpool.

Substitution Gary Taylor-Fletcher Ishmel Demontagnac

Substitution Marlon Harewood Brett Ormerod

Sagna runs forward from right-back and finds Chamakh just inside the area. He then lays the ball off to Walcott who, from the right wing, curls a right-footed cross towards Arshavin at the far post, but Baptiste manages to get in front of him to head the ball away.

DIABY WITH A CHANCE! The Frenchman picks out Rosicky on the right and continues his run into the penalty area. Rosicky then combines with Walcott before playing a return pass to Diaby, who holds off his marker before drilling a low right-footed strike six yards wide of the far post.

Blackpool have had a nightmare today. I don't want to keep singling out Crainey, but I have too! The Scot seems to be playing as a left winger rather than a left-back and is never goal side of Walcott, which is why the England star keeps getting chances.

Goal Abou Diaby

GOAL!! DIABY MAKES IT 4-0!! Crainey is once again left for dead at left-back as Sagna bombs forward down the right. The Frenchman skips past Crainey before curling a low cross into the area to the onrushing Diaby, who fires the ball onto the bottom left-hand corner past Gilks. Great finish from the midfielder!

Adam dribbles at goal but concedes possession to Diaby, who picks out Rosicky. The midfielder then finds Walcott, and he easily outpaces Crainey once again but is stopped in his tracks as he enters the penalty area by a latch-ditch challenge from Keinan.

Blackpool kick us off for the second half. No changes at the break from either side.

Half-time. It's been a hectic half! Arsenal opened the scoring through Walcott before Arshavin converted a penalty after Evatt had brought Chamakh to ground. Evatt was sent off but his challenge may have been just outside the area. Walcott then added a third goal and it could have been much more for the Gunners. 3-0 and expect more goals in the second half.

Arsenal break again. It's Arshavin this time, and he jinks past Baptiste with ease on the left and cuts the ball back towards Chamakh, but Cathcart is there to smash the ball clear.

Blackpool break after Diaby fails to get a shot away from a corner and Crainey comes clear with the ball. He finds Grandin on the edge of the area, and he picks out Harewood, who earns a corner off Sagna. The corner comes to nothing and it's Arsenal chance to attack. Walcott is again left in too much space and receives a pass on the edge of the area, but instead of going for goal, he cuts the ball back to Chamakh, but the pass is too inaccurate and Blackpool regain possession.

Another opportunity for Walcott... Crainey is out of position and is too far up the pitch despite the fact his team weren't even on the attack. Arshavin then cuts inside from the left and threads a lovely pass into Walcott's feet on the edge of the area. The England man is completely unmarked but can only curl the ball into the arms of Gilks.

Goal Theo Walcott

GOAL!! 3-0 ARSENAL!! WALCOTT AGAIN!! Chamakh drifts out to the right wing and picks out Wilshere 25 yards out. The youngster finds Walcott with his back to goal just inside the Blackpool penalty area, and he isn't closed down quickly enough by Keinan and turns his man before firing the ball right-footed into the bottom left-hand corner.

Substitution Ludovic Sylvestre Dekel Keinan

The change is now being made. Ludovic Sylvestre, who was making his first start, has been sacrificed and Keinan is on in his place.

Tough task for Ian Holloway's men to get back into the game. Dekal Keinan, signed on a free transfer in midweek, looks set to come on at centre-back for his debut.

GOAL!! ARSHAVIN SCORES FROM THE SPOT!! 2-0 TO ARSENAL!! The Russian steps up and coolly slots the ball to the left of Gilks and into the bottom right-hand corner. There's a bit of controversy over the penalty. Evatt's challenge began just outside the area and he may have caught the Moroccan inches outside the area. But nevertheless, Blackpool are down to 10 men and have it all to do now.

Penalty Goal Andrey Arshavin

RED CARD!! EVATT IS OFF!! Chamakh is played through on goal and Evatt is slow in tracking back. He tries to slide the ball away from the forward just inside the area, but catches his standing leg and the Moroccan goes to ground. Evatt's off and Arshavin steps up to take the penalty...

Red Card Ian Evatt

Cathcart lofts an aerial pass through to Harewood in the Arsenal half, but the big man is offside as Vermaelen steps up from centre-back. The striker bagged a couple of goals last week but hasn't been involved much today.

Crainey gives the ball away cheaply in his own half and is almost punished. He passes the ball straight to Rosicky just inside the Blackpool half and Arshavin and Chamakh combine on the edge of the area, but the latter's first touch lets him down and the visitors come away with the ball.

JUST WIDE FROM CHAMAKH! Walcott is involved again, skipping past Crainey with ease just into the Blackpool half. He then breaks forward and skips a nice little pass into the feet of Chamakh, who escapes his marker Cathcart, before taking a touch and side-footing the ball just wide of the bottom left-hand corner.

SAVE FROM GILKS!! Walcott is set on his way again down the right wing, and outpaces Crainey before clipping a right-footed ball into the area towards Arshavin. The Russian connects brilliantly with a smart half-volley and his strike looks destined to fine the net but Gilks gets a hand to it and palms the ball away.

Rosicky has a pop from the edge of the area. The tricky midfielder holds onto the ball for an age of the left side of the Blackpool area and isn't closed down quick enough by Vaughan. Rosicky then nudges the ball to his right and tries his luck with a strike towards the top right-hand corner, but he gets it all wrong and the ball sails over.

Crainey looks quite dangerous going forward for Blackpool down the left wing but keeps getting caught out defensively. Arshavin slides a pass towards Chamakh on the right wing which Crainey should easily cut out, but he slips over. Fortunately for the full-back, Chamakh's return pass is intercepted by Cathcart.

TAYLOR-FLETCHER WITH A HEADER!! Crainey receives a pass on the left wing and swings an inviting left-footed cross towards the far post. Taylor-Fletcher rises above Clichy with ease and looks certain to head the ball into the top right-hand corner, but fluffs his lines and heads wide of the post. What a chance!

Goal Theo Walcott

GOAL!! WALCOTT OPENS THE SCORING FOR ARSENAL!! Arshavin cuts inside from the left wing and plays a wonderful little one-two with Rosicky on the edge of the area before picking out the unmarked Walcott in acres of space in the box. The England international then coolly slots the ball into the bottom left-hand corner past Gilks. Good finish from Walcott, but Crainey left him with far too much time.

First real chance of the game goes to Arsenal. The ball falls kindly to Walcott just inside the Blackpool area and he manages to jink past Crainey and Evatt before cutting a great pass across the face of goal, but Chamakh isn't quite quick enough to get on the end of it.

Adam plays a great cross-field ball to Crainey on the left wing and he lays the ball off to Sylvestre to his right. The summer signing then tries to pick out fellow newcomer Grandin making a run into the area, but the quick forward is just caught offside and the move breaks down. Arsenal gave him far too much space there.

Sagna plays a hopeful ball down the right wing towards Walcott but the pass runs all the way through to Crainey near the corner flag. The former Leeds United full-back can't shepherd the ball out of play with Walcott in pursuit and smashes the ball out for a throw-in.

Diaby tries to turn on the ball on the halfway line but as caught out by Adam and Vaughan, who close him down quickly. The Frenchman then loses possession but Vermaelen helps him out with a great interception to regain the ball.

A lot of early possession from Arsenal as you would expect. The Gunners are the best in the league at holding onto the ball and Blackpool are going to be at their very best today if they're going to get anything out of this game.

Arsenal get us underway at the Emirates.

Blackpool line up: Gilks; Baptiste, Evatt, Cathcart, Crainey; Sylvestre, Adam, Vaughan; Grandin, Harewood, Taylor-Fletcher. Subs: Halstead, Eardley, Ormerod, Basham, Edwards, Demontagnac, Keinan.

Here is the team news in full. Arsenal line up: Almunia; Sagna, Song, Vermaelen, Clichy; Rosicky, Diaby, Wilshere; Walcott, Chamakh, Arshavin. Subs: Fabianski, Fabregas, Van Persie, Vela, Djourou, Eboue, Gibbs.

Meanwhile, Blackpool boss Ian Holloway makes one change from the win over Wigan last week. Ludovic Sylvestre makes his first start for the club in the place of Brett Ormerod, which means Elliot Grandin plays on the right side of a three-pronged attack.

Arsenal have made three changes from their draw with Liverpool on Sunday. Alex Song has replaced the suspended Laurent Koscielny at centre-back, Tomas Rosicky comes in for Samir Nasri, who is out for a month following knee surgery and Theo Walcott is preferred to Emmanuel Eboue. Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie start on the bench.

Both sides come into today’s clash at the Emirates on the back of impressive results last weekend. Blackpool stunned the Premier League with a 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic, while Arsenal picked up a point away to Liverpool after Pepe Reina inadvertently turned the ball into his own goal in the last minute.

Good afternoon and welcome to Goal.com’s live coverage of the Premier League game between Arsenal and Blackpool. My name is Danny Hart and I will be taking you through today’s match.