A fantastic performance from Theo Walcott capped Arsenal’s 3-0 win against Manchester United on Sunday.

The England striker is finally playing centrally and more games like this one will show everyone that Arsène Wenger was right not sign a striker in the summer.

As one would expect, the Arsenal manager was incredibly impressed by the way Walcott played at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

“I must say Walcott had a hugely committed performance today in a hugely convincing way,” the Frenchman told the media after the game. “He didn’t score but I like to praise the strikers when they don’t score and contribute and give assists. He was involved in two goals – Özil’s and Alexis’ [second] one.”

Supporting the players around him may have been something Olivier Giroud – the alternative option up front – felt he had over Walcott, but the Englishman seems to be coming on in that regard.

Another impressive aspect of Walcott’s game on Sunday was his desire to win the ball back. He chased back to tackle Bastian Schweinsteiger twice on the halfway line and constantly put the Manchester United defence under pressure. Such a hard-working and defensively switched on Theo Walcott hasn’t been seen before.

“He did really fight today and showed he can fight, commit and protect the ball as well,” Wenger said. “He is gaining some aspects of his game as a centre forward and they are improving.”

He hasn’t played up front often but is being given a lengthy run in the team now, and Wenger must feel vindicated. The manager thinks Sunday was Walcott’s best performance as a ‘number nine’.

“In this position, certainly. The day he was injured here he had a great game against Tottenham and I would put that up there.

“You were not convinced. When a guy plays well it is always easy to find people who were convinced.”

It won’t take many more showings like the one against Manchester United to convince people.