Arshavin 30

                                                                                                                           Chamakh 34

                                                                                                                             Vela 68, 84

Arsenal cruised to their first three Champions League Group H points with a sumptuous display inspired by Cesc Fabregas.

Fabregas fired the Gunners into a ninth-minute lead from the penalty spot after his pass sent Marouane Chamakh clear and Braga keeper Luiz Felipe felled the Moroccan striker.

Andrei Arshavin doubled their advantage on the half-hour mark from another Arshavin pass.

And four minutes later, Chamakh made it 3-0 with a precise right-foot finish after skilful set-up play by Jack Wilshere on the edge of the box.

Fabregas was left embarrassingly unmarked to head home Arsenal’s fourth from Arshavin’s left-wing cross on 53 minutes.

The Spaniard was denied his hat-trick four minutes later by a combination of Felipe and a last-ditch clearance from Pinheiro Moises.

Arshavin struck a post on 63 minutes but cleverly set up goal number five for substitute Carlos Vela five minutes later, the Mexican striker dinking the ball over Felipe.

Thereafter, the questions were how many Arsenal would score and whether Fabregas would get his first-ever professional hat-trick.

The answers were “six” and “no”, with Fabregas getting behind Braga’s backline on 84 minutes but unselfishly setting up Vela, whose left-foot shot beat Felipe at his near post.