Arsenal 3-1 Everton: Wenger's praise for Turbo-charged Theo

If the true test of a player is whether he can change a game merely by stepping on to the pitch, then Theo Walcott has already made the biggest stride of all.

Arsene Wenger's "turbo-charged" England winger was parked on the bench only to be unleashed to rescue Arsenal's season.

And while Wenger will not go into overdrive about the teenager yet, he knows that Walcott is fast developing into as crucial a player for his side as Cesc Fabregas.

Where Arsenal, rocked by Leon Osman's early opener, had been walking a defensive tightrope against the swift Everton counter, Walcott's interval introduction altered the complexion of the entire afternoon.

Suddenly, David Moyes's men were forced backwards, too terrified by Walcott's blistering acceleration to give Yakubu any support, allowing Fabregas and Samir Nasri to pick up the pace and pass them to death.

Nasri's leveller, soonafter the break, opened the way for Robin van Persie to nod Wenger's side in front and when Walcott himself twisted the knife in the final minute, the Emirates stood in applause for the boy wonder.

Walcott happily accepted his role as supersub.

"If you have one person on the bench here who's not happy it might affect the whole team, so when you get the chance to come on the pitch you've just got to take it," he said.

That is exactly the language Wenger wants to hear and when the Frenchman was asked if Walcott's performances are making him impossible to leave out, he was able to joke: "Of course you can leave him out - I did!

"I know I said Lionel Messi is like a Ferrari but I won't say what that makes Theo. I don't want to advertise another car - but I know he's a turbo."

The thrust was enough to turn the game on its head, although Arsenal's frailties at the back, where Mikael Silvestre gave an unconvincing display, were exacerbated by the loss of shoulder victim Kolo Toure.

Toure, Bacary Sagna and William Gallas will all miss tomorrow's Champions League trip to Fenerbahce, alongside the hamstrung Nasri. And had Gael Clichy not bailed out Manuel Almunia to clear Joleon Lescott's header off the line, there might have been no opportunity for the Walcott-led turnaround.

For Wenger, and van Persie, the importance of the comeback could not be understated. The Dutch striker said: "The way we came back was fantastic.

"Once we scored, you could see the heads of the Everton players go down. In football, the mental aspect is really important, maybe more than 30 or 40 per cent. Sometimes it is more important than the way you play."

Wenger added: "I believe in this team. They've shown not only quality in the game but also mental strength and personality - the personality that will be needed.

"After losing against Hull we couldn't afford to drop more points at home straight away. If we'd lost and been seven points behind, it would have left us a mountain to climb."

Everton's reaction to Walcott transformed them from mountain to molehill, and they lacked the courage they showed in the first half when Jack Rodwell excelled in the holding role and Marouane Fellaini exploited Silvestre's aerial vulnerabilities.

All changed as Walcott induced a collective spasm of fear and Goodison chief Moyes conceded: "I'm kicking myself because that's two games running where we've led and not won.

We are in a difficult position right now and we're not winning as many games as we'd like but I do believe there are reasons for that, partly getting people back to fitness."

Not that Everton's problems remotely concern the Gunners.

Van Persie, who said Arsenal will benefit from a lengthy run free of international fixtures, added: "We were fantastic for three-quarters of last season and then suddenly everything fell down. We have learned a lot from that.

"I prefer it when you can have a good long run with your club team, get together and get results."

And get more out of the jet-heeled winger, too. Arsenal are playing with fire but have so far only been singed. They are still in it.

Arsenal: Almunia 6, Song 6, Toure 6 (Walcott 46, 8), Silvestre 5, Clichy 8, Eboue 7, Fabregas 8, Denilson 7, Nasri 7 (Diaby 83), Adebayor 5, Van Persie 7. GOALS: Nasri 48, Van Persie 70, Walcott 90
EVERTON: Howard 7, Hibbert 6 (Neville 79, 5), Jagielka 7, Lescott 6, Baines 5, Rodwell 7, Arteta 5, Fellaini 6 (Saha 74, 5), Osman 6, Pienaar 6, Yakubu 4 (Vaughan 79). GOAL: Osman 9
REFEREE: Peter Walton
ATTENDANCE: 60, 064

MAN OF THE MATCH
Theo Walcott (ARSENAL) 8
Changed the game with his sheer pace and brio

VILLAIN OF THE MATCH
Yakubu (EVERTON) 4
Lumbering and lolloping. Barely broke out of first gea

NEXT THREE GAMES
ARSENAL
Tuesday: Fenerbahce (a) Ch Lge
Sunday: West Ham (a) Prem
Wed Oct 29: Spurs (h) Prem

EVERTON
Saturday: Man Utd (h) Prem
Wed Oct 29: Bolton (a) Prem
Sat Nov 1: Fulham (h) Prem

Find out what our resident Premier League fan bloggers think - and let them know your views

Get your hands on this week's estimated jackpot of £100, 000 by playing the New Football Pools

Follow every Premier League game live with our brilliant Match Tracker