Thierry Henry reached another personal milestone as he scored the second goal of the day to help Arsenal secure a 3-0 victory over Blackburn at Highbury.
The Frenchman has already become the club's all-time leading scorer this season and his delightful strike right on the interval was his 100th league goal at Highbury - becoming the only man to achieve that feat.
Henry's goal was sandwiched between an early strike by Cesc Fabregas and an amazing late effort by Robin van Persie - although the score-line flattered Arsenal.
There was some ill-feeling between these two sides following last season's FA Cup semi-final in which Arsene Wenger criticised Blackburn for their over-physical approach.
But since then Rovers have done much to improve their image and they showed by winning at Manchester United and giving Chelsea a scare this season that they are no pushovers.
However Arsenal got off to a perfect start with a goal within the first three minutes as Blackburn failed to clear their lines and Fabregas had time to curl a low shot into the corner from 25 yards.
It could have got worse for Rovers within minutes as Henry's dipping 30 yard free-kick forced Brad Friedel to scramble across his goal and tip the effort around the post.
But to their credit Blackburn then played themselves back into the game with some enterprising football and Arsenal were grateful to goalkeeper Jens Lehmann on a few occasions.
Without a recognised left-back, Arsenal were forced once again to play Pascal Cygan in an unfamiliar role and their defence looked vulnerable against the pace and intelligent running of Craig Bellamy.
Lehmann got down well to deny Shefki Kuqi and then Morten Gamst Pedersen from the follow up while Lauren slid in to intercept Steven Reid's cross shot.
Bellamy ghosted in behind the Gunners back-line to latch onto Robbie Savage's through ball and brought an excellent stop from Lehmann before blasting the rebound at Sol Campbell.
The Welshman then beat Kolo Toure to get on the end of another long ball forward but he toe-poked his effort agonisingly wide of the post.
Rovers were wondering how they were not at least on level terms when they slipped further behind right on half time and the goal was a moment of real quality.
Robert Pires measured a perfect through ball to Henry who came in from the left and slotted a superb low shot around the outstretched arm of Friedel.
It looked a long way back for Mark Hughes' men but they could have hauled themselves back in it soon after the break when Kuqi's looping header was almost casually cleared off the line by Pires.
And they came close again as Pedersen's cross found Bellamy whose acrobatic header looped over Lehmann but dropped just wide of the target.
Lehmann was twice called into action to tip Pedersen's in-swinging corner over the bar and to beat away a stinging 25 yard drive from David Thompson.
But Arsenal always seemed like they could go up a gear and substitute Freddie Ljungberg played a delightful through ball to Henry who showed delightful skill before blazing his shot well wide.
But with the seconds ticking away, van Persie produced some trickery out on the right before curling a wonderful effort in off the far post with his left foot from a tight angle.