Hat-trick hero Walcott is gunning for Saints (From Daily Echo)

Hat-trick hero Walcott is gunning for Saints

12:46pm Sunday 30th December 2012 in Sport

EX Saint Theo Walcott fired a triple warning to his old club last night before his Arsenal side come to St Mary’s on New Year’s Day.

The striker also gave his manager Arsene Wenger yet another reminder of his goal-scoring talents as he bagged a stunning hat-trick to sink Newcastle in a 10-goal thriller at the Emirates Stadium.

Wenger had talked up 23-year-old as the next Thierry Henry yesterday, and the England forward - still to pen a new deal with the club - did little to disprove that idea t.

He scored three excellent goals and setting up two more to give Arsenal the win that ensures they will end 2012 in fifth place, two points behind Chelsea and three adrift of Tottenham with a match in hand.

Another ex-Saint Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also scored.

After the match Wenger insisted he want Walcott to stay a Gunner.

He said: ''My desire is to extend his contract.

''I think he belongs here. Hopefully we can do it.

''I think he loves the club and the club loves him and the reciprocity in love is the most difficult to find.''

England international Walcott has scored four goals and won one decisive penalty in the three games he has started up front and he now has 14 for the season.

''I enjoy playing in whatever position but it was just telling the manager to give me the opportunities to play up front,'' the former Southampton man said.

''I'm not saying I'm always going to play up front but it's just showing what I can do but hopefully I've opened a few eyes and it's just a different option.

''Hopefully, I can start to take it a bit more often now.''