Norwich - 1 Arsenal - 4: It is often difficult to see how winning teams can lose. That, after all, is why they are winning teams. In the case of the present Arsenal side, however, it is well-nigh impossible to envisage circumstances in which they might again be beaten in the Premiership.

It will happen eventually, but when? Sooner or later Arsene Wenger's players are bound to have an off-day but, as last season demonstrated, an off-day for Arsenal is not necessarily an on-day for their opponents.

There were times in the first half on Saturday when Thierry Henry should have been reported to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Canaries.

Nigel Worthington's Norwich were given a lesson in the finer arts. Having taken a 3-0 lead before half-time, Arsenal spent the rest of the match standing back to admire their handiwork. As they relaxed Norwich reassembled their game and their confidence sufficiently to score with a penalty from the persevering Darren Huckerby, who then drew a sharp save from Jens Lehmann.

Yet the margin of victory still depended on how many goals Arsenal wanted to add and in the end one more, in the closing seconds by Dennis Bergkamp, sufficed.

While supporters will never enjoy the spectacle of their team being systematically outclassed, there comes a point when there is nothing left for it but to give the conquerors their due. If Carrow Road did not go as far as to repeat the standing ovation Arsenal received at Fratton Park last season after beating Portsmouth 5-1 in the FA Cup, the Norwich fans certainly went home murmuring their admiration.

Worthington observed afterwards: "Arsenal have taken football to another level." Quite so. This was Formula Three trying to keep up with Formula One and longing for Henry to have a pit stop.

Once Henry had outpaced five opponents to set up a tap-in for Jose Antonio Reyes on 22 minutes any semblance of a serious contest disappeared. Nine minutes before half-time a rare header from Henry rounded off a movement involving himself, Lauren, Cesc Fabregas and Fredrik Ljungberg which, Worthington confessed, "I almost applauded myself." Another four minutes and, as Adam Drury loosely chested down a ball from Henry, Ljungberg dispossessed him before leaving Robert Pires to score Arsenal's third.

For Norwich the attacking partnership of Huckerby and Gary Doherty has possibilities but unless their defending quickens up they are not going to win many games.