Vermaelen 17   Nzonzi 4

                                                                        Van Persie 33    Dunn 30  

A wonderful attacking display from Arsenal saw them run out emphatic winners of probably the best Premier League game of the season to date.

The high number of goals scored in the league this season has been largely attributed to poor defending. But this was predominantly not the case here.

Indeed, Rovers keeper Paul Robinson had a fine match, despite shipping six goals.

And although Blackburn were eventually as well beaten as the scoreline suggests, matters might have been different had they not been denied a penalty shortly after half-time with the score only 3-2.

Rovers took the lead in the fourth minute, Steven Nzonzi‘s looping header finding the net direct from Robinson’s long clearance.

Arsenal were level on 17 minutes when centre-back Thomas Vermaelen produced what is fast becoming a trademark 20-yard left-foot finish.

It was his fifth goal of the season, which remarkably makes him Arsenal’s current top scorer.

Blackburn led again on the half-hour, David Dunn’s shot was deflected past keeper Vito Mannone by William Gallas, after an Arsenal-esque pitch-length breakaway.

But almost identical goals from Robin Van Persie and Andrei Arshavin left the Gunners 3-2 ahead on 37 minutes, Van Persie drilling Fabregas’s pass home with his left-foot and then turning provider for the Russian.

Rovers’ lively start to the second half was nearly rewarded when Vermaelen upended Dunn as he ran into the box. But referee Peter Walton saw nothing untoward in the Belgian’s challenge.

Twelve minutes into the second half it was 4-2, Fabregas expertly finding his range from outside the box after Blackburn had twice failed to clear the danger.

A breathtaking breakaway goal made it 5-2 with fifteen minutes left, Arshavin and Fabregas leaving Theo Walcott to pass the ball clinically into the net from 15 yards.

And Nicklas Bendtner’s crashing right-foot drive on 89 minutes completed the scoring.