GUNNERS COOKING ON GAS AGAIN; BARCLAYS ARSENAL 2 MIDDLESBRO 0 PREMIER LEAGUE FROM THE EMIRATES.

Byline: JOHN CROSS

SIR ALEX FERGUSON travelled 200 miles yesterday to confirm what he already knew.

Cesc Fabregas is back to his best. The Arsenal captain destroyed Boro with two brilliant goals which served a timely warning ahead of Wednesday's Champions League semi-final at Old Trafford.

The Manchester United boss looked on from the directors' box to see an Arsenal team playing with a confidence that makes their meeting a potential classic.

The Gunners were ruthless as they extended their unbeaten Premier League run to 20 games and also ended Gareth Southgate's amazing curse over Arsene Wenger.

He had never beaten Southgate's Boro in five previous managerial meetings but yesterday quickly turned into a walk in the park for Arsenal.

They swept Boro aside with an ease which should be embarrassing for a team fighting for their lives. Fabregas was at the centre of everything for Arsenal, passing, prompting and finishing with a style which only strengthened his status as a world-class midfielder. He received a standing ovation when he was substituted after 68 minutes to save him for the trip to Old Trafford.

Wenger must have been tempted to field a weakened team, but he is determined to keep the momentum going and that will have left Ferguson in no doubt of the task ahead.

Arsenal have already beaten United at the Emirates this season and in this sort of form, they could be a match for anyone in Europe, let alone United.

In fact, the only thing that would have sent Ferguson back to Manchester with a smile was the fact that Andrey Arshavin is ineligible for the Champions League. Arshavin, buoyed by his incredible four-goal display at Anfield, was instrumental in the victory, playing a pivotal role in both goals.

If Fabregas finished the job, then Arshavin was the architect.

But Fabregas survived an early scare when he needed lengthy treatment after a challenge by Stewart Downing.

Any fears that Fabregas may have been badly hurt were quickly extinguished in the 26th minute with Arsenal's opener after a lovely piece of total football.

Denilson started it, Nicklas Bendtner back-heeled the ball to Fabregas, who passed it wide to Arshavin and he raced down the left before pulling a clever pass back into the path of Fabregas on the edge of the box.

As Fabregas pulled the trigger on his shot into the bottom corner, Bendtner was in an offside position in front of Boro keeper Brad Jones but referee Chris Foy did not even look at his linesman.

Boro also made a half-hearted penalty appeal when Bendtner appeared to handle inside his box on the half hour.

But the truth is that Boro only have themselves to blame.

Downing's long ball over the top sent Jeremie Aliadiere clean through in the 50th minute but the ex-Arsenal striker fired straight at Manuel Almunia.

Boro were condemned to their fate in the 67th minute thanks to more Arsenal brilliance - and a bad misjudgment by keeper Jones.

Arshavin started the move with a slick pass to Samir Nasri, he found Emmanuel Eboue and his pass released Fabregas who rounded Jones, already in no-man's land outside his box.

Wenger joked that Fergie was only visiting the Emirates because of the fine wine served in the directors' box.

These days the rivals get on well enough to share a drink.

But Sir Alex knows that on Wednesday their peace pact will be forgotten because United will have to be at their best to beat this Arsenal team.

ARSENAL: Almunia 7, Eboue 7, Toure 7, Silvestre 6 (Djourou, 46, 6), Gibbs 6, Walcott 7 (Diaby, 68, 6), Denilson 6, Nasri 7, Fabregas 8 (Adebayor, 68, 6), Arshavin 8, Bendtner 7.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Jones 5, McMahon 5 (Digard, 73), Wheater 6, Huth 7, Taylor 5, O'Neil 5, Tungay 5, Bates 5, Downing 7, Aliadiere 5 (Emnes, 87), King 5 (Johnson, 62, 6).

CAPTION(S):

ROARINGSUCCESS Cesc Fabregas left Middlesbrough without a shout 1- 0 Cesc Fabregas beats David Wheater to put Arsenal ahead Fabregas waltzes round Brad Jones for his second s 2- 0