Published: 27 September, 2012
by TOM FOOT

Capital One Cup 3rd Round
Arsenal 6, Coventry 1
Carlisle 0, Totenham 3

ARSENE Wenger expects Olivier Giroud to start banging in the goals in the Premier League after the striker opened his goal-scoring account against Coventry last night (Wednesday) in the Capital One Cup.

The summer signing sparked a scintillating 6-1 victory over the League One strugglers to help the Gunners book a fourth round tie away to Reading.

Wenger has little doubt that now Giroud has shrugged off his stuttering start at the club he will go on to show the Premier League exactly what he is made of.

“It was much more in his mind than our minds,” said the Arsenal boss. “He is a good finisher. I feel at the moment he is looking for confidence and that goal will help him. I expect him to take that into Premier League.”

But Wenger revealed Giroud, who saw a second half penalty well saved, would face “big competition” up front from Theo Walcott, who notched a clinical brace.

He said: “I’m not against Theo playing up front, not at all. But at the moment the team is playing well. His time will come.”

There was a party atmosphere at the Emirates as 58,693 fans lapped up a second 6-1 home win in a row.

Giroud’s goal on 41 minutes was all that separated the sides at half-time. But that all changed after the break as a 30-yard screamer from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain opened the floodgates.

Andrey Arshavin took advantage of a rare start to score Arsenal’s third, before Walcott slotted home the fourth.

Coventry sub Callum Ball pulled a goal back for the visitors, but further efforts from Ignasi Miquel and Walcott ensured the Gunners faithful left on a high.

North London rivals Tottenham are also through to the fourth round after a convincing 3-0 win away at Carlisle.

Goals from Jan Vertonghen, Andros Townsend and Gylfi Sigurdsson set up a trip to Norwich in the last 16.

The visitors took the lead shortly before the break when Vertonghen headed home Sigurdsson’s free-kick.Townsend scored the goal of the game in the 53rd minute when he picked the ball up on the halfway line and raced towards goal before getting the better of two defenders and firing a low shot into the back of the net.

Sigurdsson wrapped up the scoring when he nodded in Kyle Walker’s cross.