Arsene Wenger believes Theo Walcott is maturing with perfect timing for the World Cup in the summer.

Walcott turned in a performance full of pace and menace in front of England manager Fabio Capello at the Emirates Stadium in Arsenal's 2-0 victory against Sunderland on Saturday.

Then Wenger revealed how 20-year-old Walcott has toughened up from the fragile winger who was too easily knocked off the ball as a teenager.

"He is getting there," Wenger said. "He gets harsh treatment but we see signs in training where he doesn't let other people kick him. It is part of the learning process of the job."

Walcott has started just five Premier League games in a stop-start season because of injury and while his form in the first half against Sunderland was stunning as he terrorised the visitors' defence there was a moment in the second which epitomised the pressure he is under.

An errant Walcott cross was followed by a frustrated snipe from team-mate Samir Nasri, while television pictures picked out Capello's reaction in the stand.

Wenger instantly sympathised with his winger, who became the youngest player to score a hat-trick for England against Croatia in Zagreb in 2008.

He said: "It's terrible but that is the modern media. The difference when I played was that there was no television. Now every single thing is analysed.

"You all have the national team on your mind because you want to bring the World Cup back to London. What we forget in football is that when players have been out for a long time it takes a while to get back to their best with sharpness, confidence and zip. That is coming back now.

"Let the players work and enjoy their game. The World Cup is not today, it is in July."

But when asked whether Walcott would be on the plane to South Africa, Wenger said: "I think he will make it, yes."

Wenger saw his side take the lead with a Nicklas Bendtner tap-in - his first goal since October after recently returning from a lengthy injury lay-off - and finish it with a Cesc Fabregas penalty in injury time after the Gunners captain had been brought down by Fraizer Campbell,

It was a spot-kick which Sunderland boss Steve Bruce did not believe his own side would have been awarded.

Sunderland, after their best start to a season for 35 years, are on a desperate run of 13 matches without a win. It might have been different if Kenwyne Jones had not dragged their best chance wide when clean through or if Darren Bent and Campbell had been more ruthless in their finishing.

Bruce's side are now firmly ensconced amid the relegation battlers and he admitted: "In life when it's against you all you can do is batten down the hatches and try harder. It makes you stronger. If somebody had said to me we wouldn't win in 13 games I would have said that was practically impossible.

"We have been struck down with big players missing. I don't want to make excuses and the signs have been good in the last four weeks. We're getting back to where we were at the beginning of the season with that resilience we had.

"Things I hope are on the turn. We had a bit of luck with Liverpool with the beach-ball incident and since then I don't think we've had any. We just have to stick at it. I'm convinced if we keep playing like that we'll be okay."

Wenger appeared to agree as he saluted Sunderland's battling qualities, but the Arsenal boss' sights are still set on the title after his side closed the gap on Manchester United to two points while remaining six behind Chelsea.

Wenger said: "Sunderland fought for their life and they man-marked us in the second half everywhere. They didn't give us any room.

"We will fight for our dream. We have a chance mathematically. We go to Stoke on Saturday and we have to turn up with belief and full commitment or the dream will be shattered."