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Three for Adebayor as Gunners destroy Rams

28/04/2008

A second-half hat-trick from Emmanuel Adebayor helped Arsenal inflict a 6-2 defeat upon Derby County as the Gunners secured third place in the Premier League.

Nicklas Bendtner, Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott joined the Togolese striker in the goals to inflict more misery upon the struggling Rams at Pride Park.

The home team, who have only 11 points to show for their 36 league games so far, managed to get on the scoresheet twice through defender Jay McEveley and Robert Earnshaw.

Arsenal's opener, from Bendtner following a characteristic mistake from Darren Moore, had been against the run of play, with McEveley's 31st minute equaliser no less than Paul Jewell's team deserved.

But when Van Persie capitalised on another Moore howler to put the Gunners back in front six minutes before half time, the away side never looked back.

Adebayor got the first of his three following solid work on the right by Walcott and Emmanuel Eboue, with Earnshaw's goal being overshadowed by Walcott scoring his fifth of the season with a swift finish.

Two more goals – his 29th and 30th of the campaign - followed for Adebayor, but Derby had Roy Carroll to thank for restricting Arsenal to six following a string of smart saves from the big African and Walcott.

The win leaves Arsenal four points behind Manchester United and Chelsea with two league games left to play.

Derby meanwhile are the same number of points away from Sunderland's 15 from the 2005/06 season, up to this point by far the lowest for a Premier League season.