Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said that he played Theo Walcott as a centre-forward against Reading on Monday because he felt the 23-year-old was "ready" for that position.

Walcott scored the Gunners' fifth goal at the Madejski Stadium in their 5-2 victory over the Royals in the Premier League.

"If you look at my statements two years ago, I said he will play in the middle," Wenger told reporters after the match on Monday.

"I think slowly it became his idea as well. I felt it was a good opportunity to do it tonight.

"On what I've seen in training, I thought he was ready to do it."

Walcott's current contract with Arsenal runs out at the end of the season.