Cesc Fabregas scored a brace to stretch Arsenal's unbeaten league run to 20 games and dump Middlesbrough further into the relegation mire.
The Spaniard - who had only scored once all season prior to this - put the home side ahead on 26 minutes when finishing off a sublime passing move.
He accepted a flick from Nicklas Bendtner and set Andrey Arshavin on his way before unleashing an unstoppable effort past Brad Jones from the return ball, although replays showed Bendtner was off-side.
The Boro keeper was then at fault for Fabregas' second in the 67th minute when he raced out of his area but was rounded by the Arsenal skipper who coolly slotted home.
With leading scorer Robin van Persie still sidelined by a groin problem, the double salvo by Fabregas and return to fitness of goalkeeper Manuel Almunia could not have come at a better time.
With the Gunners' vital UEFA Champions League tie with Manchester United only three days away, manager Arsene Wenger would have been forgiven if he had rested a couple of his key men in front of the watchful eyes of Sir Alex Ferguson in the Emirates crowd.
However, Arsenal named a strong starting XI and remained positive from the outset, with Theo Walcott - in his 100th appearance for the club - looking to get clear down the right and Arshavin deployed in a roaming role from the left.
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