Arsenal back to their best against Reading

Reading 0 Arsenal 4

Arsenal reinforced their claim to be genuine contenders for the Premiership trophy by dismantling top-flight newcomers Reading today.

Thierry Henry, who scored twice, Alexander Hleb and Robin van Persie supplied the goals as the Gunners reigned supreme at the Madejski Stadium - the venue where both Manchester United and Chelsea had been forced to battle all the way for points.

United had needed a second-half equaliser from Cristiano Ronaldo to salvage a draw and Chelsea a heavy deflection to take the points eight days ago on a day when Jose Mourinho went on to claim every headline for his own.

Mourinho had launched an attack on Stephen Hunt for the first-minute challenge that had left goalkeeper Petr Cech with a fractured skull but the Irishman retained his place in the starting line-up for this one, having been cheered heartily before kick-off by the home support.

The first minute was once again hugely significant however as it took the slick-passing visitors just 58 seconds to take the lead.

Cesc Fabregas was the architect with a run into the box on the right that saw him easily evade the challenge of ex-Highbury trainee James Harper and lay the ball back for Henry to fire past Royals goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, who had not let in a single goal at that end since September last year.

That another would follow before the break was no surprise though as Arsenal dominated possession and the home side were able to make only occasional inroads at the other end.

Hunt was still willing to charge round the pitch and received a finger-wag of disapproval from Jens Lehmann after contact was briefly made as the Irishman chased a ball into the box.

But Ibrahima Sonko, who had hospitalised Cech's replacement Carlo Cudicini in a stoppage time collision last week, did not look his usual robust self and backed off and backed off to allow Van Persie to end a run from his own half with a shot.

That went well wide and there was a bigger let off when Justin Hoyte, whom Hunt had previously nudged into an advertising hoarding, fired across goal and wide following Tomas Rosicky's defence-opening flick.

But in the 39th minute, when Hleb came in from the right and played a one-two with the Czech, Hahnemann was beaten again with a rising drive that was simply too hot to handle.

Reading had only occasionally created problems at the other end but Lehmann had been required in the 25th minute to tip over a pile-driver from Seol Ki-Hyeon after the German had punched a corner to where he had been lurking on the edge of the box.

It was to prove their only on-target effort of the afternoon. Arsenal managed 10 times as many.

Reading replaced the ineffective Ulises de la Cruz at the break with Brynjar Gunnarsson but within four minutes of the restart Van Persie had made it 3-0.

It was the result of a fine passing movement down the right involving Henry and Hleb and once the home defence had been well and truly opened the Dutchman was left with a simple finish.

Reading were ahead on corners however as a Seol cross saw the ball skid just beyond the back post off a defender before the back-pedalling Kevin Doyle headed the home side's seventh wide.

It was a different story from open play though as the exposed Hahnemann could only spill a Henry drive into Rosicky's path. The goal was at his mercy but somehow the summer signing fired wastefully over.

Hunt was still trying to make things happen but when the ball broke kindly for him in the box as Kolo Toure blocked Doyle he could only fire a snap-shot over.

In the 71st minute Henry made it 4-0 from the penalty spot after Hahnemann had upended Fabregas. The Frenchman had provided the pass for the teenager, who would surely have scored had he been allowed to continue, so the goalkeeper was perhaps fortunate to stay on.

Reading were grateful he did as he denied Rosicky a minute later after the midfielder had been put through. Reading were thoroughly demoralised and could not wait for the final whistle as Arsenal sent Theo Walcott and Emmanuel Adebayor on for the last quarter of an hour, with Alexandre Song joining them later.