SUBSTITUTE Emmanuel Adebayor scored three times and Arsenal won 6-2 at last-place Derby on Monday to guarantee itself of at least a third-place finish in the English Premier League.

Nicklas Bendtner, Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott also scored at Pride Park against an already relegated team, which has won only once in 36 games and has conceded 82 goals. The Rams also lost 5-0 at the Emirates Stadium in a game in which Adebayor also scored three.

The Gunners improved to 77 points, behind league-leading Manchester United and Chelsea with two games remaining and seven more than fourth-place Liverpool. Derby, which won promotion through the playoffs last season, has only 11 points and looks certain to be relegated with the fewest points in top-flight history.

Arsenal led in the 25th minute when Derby defender Darren Moore lost possession and Bentdner exchanged passes with Van Persie before scoring.

James McEveley equalized in the 31st minute when he redirected a free kick by Robbie Savage.

But the Gunners regained the lead nine minutes later when Van Persie chested down a floated pass from Kolo Toure and volleyed for the goal.

Second-half substitute Adebayor made it 3-1 in the 59th, but Robert Earnshaw pulled the Rams within one in the 77th only for Theo Walcott to make it 4-2 in the 78th. Adebayor added two more in the 81st and final minutes to complete his night and increase his league and cup tally for the season to 30.(SD-Agencies)