Arsenal 3-0 Bolton Wanderers: Robin van Persie nets 99th & 100th goals for club before late Song strike against 10-man visitors

Robin Van Persie scored his 100^th goal for the club, as his well-taken second-half brace settled affairs, with David Wheater’s red card proving a decisive moment.

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The result brings the Gunners a much-needed clean sheet yet stretches Owen Coyle’s side's Premier League winless streak to five games.

With less than two minutes on the clock, Arsenal’s rearguard stability was already being questioned, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny clawing away a smartly executed volley from Darren Pratley just inside the Gunners’ area.

The shock seemed to startle the home side into life, and although they were on the front foot, Bolton’s two compact banks of four made it difficult for the hosts to craft genuinely threatening opportunities.

When through on goal, Gervinho’s heavy touch allowed Jussi Jaaskelainen to deny the Ivorian at his feet, while Van Persie went tantalisingly close with a curled effort from 25 yards.

Chances were few and far between in a game that became characterised by both teams’ inability to really stamp their authority in the middle of the park and proceedings developed into a compact battle.

Gervinho slammed an effort over the bar from range just after the half hour mark, before Laurent Koscielny acrobatically shinned his shot woefully off target when free in the box as the hosts pushed for an opener.

On the stroke of half-time Wheater did brilliantly to deny Van Persie after some smart work down the left by Theo Walcott, before the winger then went close himself with a curling effort after cutting in from the flank.

                        Red mist | Wheater is sent off after hauling down Theo Walcott

It took moments for Arsenal to find the breakthrough after the restart. Aaron Ramsay fed the ball into Van Persie on the edge of the box, and the Dutchman lashed his left-footed effort into the near post giving Jaaskelainen no chance.

Bolton’s task was made all the harder 10 minutes later, as Wheater was shown a red card for hauling down Walcott when through on goal, though the Gunners wideman made the most of the minimal contact.

From there on in it was mainly one way traffic as Arsenal peppered Bolton’s goal with a number of efforts.

Jaaskelainen made a great double save to deny Van Persie, before reacting brilliantly to once again deny the goalscorer as the home side’s captain powered a goalbound header after the ball was stood up at the far post by Walcott.

Arsenal’s lively duo were not to be denied in the 71^st minute though, when Walcott fired a low cross in from the right-hand side that Van Persie merely had to apply the finishing touch to as he doubled his side’s lead.

Walcott should have done better when through on goal with just Jaaskelainen to beat, but Alex Song put the icing on the cake, scoring Arsenal’s third with a well taken right-footed effort from just inside the box as the home side coasted to victory.