Arsenal 7 Middlesbrough 0: Thierry Henry equalled Cliff Bastin's club record with a stunning hat-trick as Arsenal hit a magnificent seven against miserable Middlesbrough at Highbury.

The Frenchman struck twice in the first half and then equalled Bastin's total of 150 league goals in the 68th minute.

Arsenal dominated the game and were 4-0 up at half-time thanks to Henry's brace and two other goals from Philippe Senderos and Robert Pires.

Gilberto headed a fifth on the hour before Henry capped a scintillating display with his third. Alexander Hleb completed the rout five minutes from time as Arsenal equalled their previous best performance in the Barclays Premiership.

The last time the Gunners had struck seven without reply was against Everton last May and Middlesbrough simply had no answer as Arsenal dominated the game from the start.

They signalled their intentions as early as the third minute when Gilberto's attempted pass to Reyes was deflected into the path of Freddie Ljungberg. His shot, from the edge of the penalty area, did not have the required power or direction to evade Brad Jones - selected in the Boro goal ahead of transfer-seeking Mark Schwarzer again - but it was a warning  Middlesbrough should have heeded.

The breakthrough arrived in the 20th minute when Ljungberg's perfectly-measured cross from the right wing was powerfully volleyed beyond Jones by the waiting Henry for his 14th goal of the season.

Seconds later Fabregas forced Jones to tip a 25-yard drive around the post as the home side tore into Boro. But Senderos added the second from the resulting corner when he rose unmarked to head Reyes's corner into the net from six yards.

In the 29th minute Arsenal underlined their superiority with a third goal and again it was skipper Henry who delivered it.

Reyes supplied the ammunition and the deadly striker was left with just Jones to beat as the young Boro goalkeeper raced out of his area. Quick-thinking Henry elected to clip the ball past Jones before he could reach him to increase Arsenal's lead.

With the game over as far as Arsenal were concerned, manager Arsene Wenger opted to replace Pascal Cygan with fit again England left-back Ashley Cole nine minutes before the interval. Cole was back in action for the first time since he fractured a bone in his foot last October and his appearance was greeted by a huge cheer from the home supporters.

Henry turned provided in the closing seconds of the first half when he provided the pass for Pires to curl a delightful shot into the top corner for Arsenal's fourth.

In the 51st minute Henry should have completed a hat-trick but skied his shot over the crossbar from eight yards after Ljungberg had cut inside inside debutant Andrew Taylor and crossed low from the right.

In the 59th minute, Doriva was booked for a foul on Reyes and Arsenal scored their fifth goal seconds later when Gilberto headed home Henry's free-kick despite desperate attempts by Jones to keep the ball out of the net.

Jones prevented Ljungberg from making it six in the 65th minute when he rushed out to stop the Swede from finishing off another clever move by the home side.

It was now just a question of whether Henry could equal Highbury legend Bastin's record - and the home fans did not have long to wait to celebrate as the Frenchman achieved the feat in the 68th minute by racing on to a pass from Reyes and firing past the hapless Jones.

The afternoon took a further turn for the worse for Boro in the 73rd minute when Doriva was sent off for a second bookable offence after pulling back Henry.

Middlesbrough hit the crossbar in the 79th minute through defender Chris Riggott and Yakubu forced Jens Lehmann into his first save of the match from the rebound but Henry then turned provider in 85th minute by supplying the cross which fell kindly for Hleb to hit the seventh.