Fabregas 34     Nugent 50

                                                                           Walcott 60

                                                                   Arshavin 90 + 4

Arsenal would have overtaken Chelsea to go top of the EPL, until Manchester United’s game later in the day, had they beaten the side with the EPL’s worst away record by four goals.

And if it hadn’t been for profligate Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner, they would have done so.

Yet, the Clarets were level for almost half the game having equalised Cesc Fabregas’s opener for the Gunners through David Nugent on 50 minutes.

But Theo Walcott capped a wonderful second-half display with a goal on the hour mark and substitute Andrei Arshavin gave the scoreline a more suitably clear-cut look in stoppage time.

Cesc Fabregas was withdrawn after tweaking a hamstring but not until after he gave Arsenal a 34^th minute lead, half-volleying the ball through keeper Brian Jensen’s legs after a one-two with Samr Nasri.

Nugent caught Arsenal’s defence square before lobbing Manuel Almunia for the equaliser.

Arsenal restored their lead ten minutes later when Walcott, who had served up two sitters for Bendtner only to see the chances spurned, drove the ball home left-footed from the edge of the area.

Andrei Arshavin combined with substitute Eduardo before drilling a low left-footer past Jensen at his near-post to complete the scoring against Burnley.