Arsenal 5-3 Middlesbrough

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Arsenal 5-3 Middlesbrough: FT Report

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Arsenal may have made another slice of history, but it was the manner of the incredible comeback which took the breath away as they beat Middlesbrough 5-3 at Highbury.

In an unbeaten league marathon that has now spanned 42 games and 15 months, the Gunners produced a sprint finish to emulate Nottingham Forest's record run 25 years earlier.

However, while the record books will simply note the achievement, it was the manner of the recovery act which was truly remarkable.

Showing the same defiance which took them to the title last season, they left their rivals in awe of their spirit.

This time around, the deficit was even worse than it had been against Liverpool last season, when they trailed 2-1 at half-time but recovered in exactly the same manner.

That of a team which refuses to lose.

Having powered into the lead on 26 minutes through Thierry Henry, Arsenal were stunned as Joseph-Desire Job equalised just before the break.

That was nothing compared to the incredible 20-minute spell after the restart as a total of five goals flew in at either end.

Firstly, Boro stormed into a shock 3-1 lead through Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Franck Queudrue but not even those setbacks could shake Arsenal out of their confident stride towards the line.

Their response was as stunning as it was stirring.

With Dennis Bergkamp hauling them back into contention, substitute Robert Pires equalised before Jose Reyes struck and then Henry rounded off a 5-3 victory in the last minute.

And so Arsenal's unbeaten league run now stretches to 42 games, emulating Forest's feat 25 years earlier.

Appropriately enough before kick-off, Arsenal had been presented with a replica of the Premiership trophy to mark their unbeaten success last season, while Henry was also handed the `golden shoe' as the leading goalscorer in Europe of 2003-04.

Their priority, however, was setting new records, not celebrating old ones, and they were quickly into their stride.

With just seven minutes gone, the tone of the game was set.

Bergkamp was denied by Mark Schwarzer, while Fredrik Ljungberg's follow-up effort was cleared off the line, while Reyes then struck the post.

In a scintillating one-touch move, Henry spread the play seamlessly out to Ashley Cole before the cross was swept into Reyes' path only for Schwarzer to deny the Spaniard with a superb save.

Finally the breakthrough came on 26 minutes, as Reyes' visionary long pass was controlled by Henry before he clipped his lob over the advancing figure of Schwarzer and not even Colin Cooper's last-gasp effort could keep the ball out.

Arsenal nevertheless started to take their foot off the pedal as half-time approached and, even though Henry curled and dipped a 25-yard free-kick against the bar, Boro managed to draw level.

There was little warning of what was to come when Queudrue picked up possession on the halfway line before weaving past three challenges.

But having exchanged passes with Hasselbaink, he slipped a pass to Job, who smashed his shot just inside the near post for a shock equaliser.

Arsenal had to remain alert, but Pascal Cygan was clearly at fault just five minutes into the second half as Boro actually seized the lead through Hasselbaink.

Cygan, who is starting in the continued absence of Sol Campbell through injury, failed to cut out a long ball by Queudrue, who had scored an own goal for Boro at Highbury last season.

Hasselbaink was then able to advance unchallenged on goal before unleashing a fearsome shot past Jens Lehmann.

And if that was not bad enough for Arsenal, worse was to follow just two minutes later.

Queudrue appeared to pose little danger out on the left flank as he glanced inside before letting fly with an incredible 30-yard shot that fooled Lehmann with the swerve and sheer impudence of the strike.

Highbury was stunned. Fortunately for Wenger, however, Bergkamp was simply stunned into action.

The Dutchman hauled his side back into contention as, having been slipped the ball by Cesc Fabregas, he charged forward and unleashed his a 20-yard effort just inside the left-hand post.

Arsenal's tails were up again, with Henry capitalising on a surging run by Fabregas.

While his shot was off target, Pires - who only came as a substitute moments before - was on hand to equalise.

Wenger's side were not finished there. Less than another minute had elapsed before Bergkamp set up Reyes and he flashed his shot past the stunned figure of Schwarzer.

The last 20 minutes were almost pedestrian by comparison as Arsenal held their own, with midfielder Mathieu Flamini replacing winger Reyes.

However, Henry applied the coup de grace with just seconds left as he converted Pires' cross from the byline with the minimum of fuss.

Next stop Blackburn at home on Wednesday, when the record could actually fall.

Maybe they are unbeatable in the league after all.

Bergkamp rolls back the years

Thierry Henry played tribute to the influence of stand-in captain Dennis Bergkamp after their incredible 5-3 comeback win at home to Middlesbrough.

'I don't know what to say - even on the pitch we didn't realise what we have done. At 3-1 down we thought it was not going to be our day,' the Frenchman told Sky Sports.

'Thank God Dennis looked like he was 20 rather than 35. Amazing - what can you say about a guy like that?'

However, Bergkamp was keen to pass the praise onto his team-mates.

'We know Middlesbrough are a difficult team to play against and at 3-1 down what are the chances to come back?' he said.

'But we showed some good spirit. We got the early second goal and we kept on going. There is a lot of talent in the team and it showed.

'In the end I think we deserved it.'

The remarkable turnaround ensured Arsenal equalled Nottingham Forest's 42-match unbeaten run but Henry said that was not their motivation.

'It is not a matter of losing or not losing - when you are on the pitch you want to win,' he told Sky Sports.

'One day it will happen (Arsenal will be beaten) but we are trying to make it last. It does not mean anything if you break the record but don't win anything.'

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was at his most animated in the dug-out today but he said he had full confidence in his players.

'You go through all kinds of emotions. When your backs are to the wall that is when your mental attitude comes in. We came back with some great goals,' he said.

'I believe at the top level what comes first is consistency. We did not defend well as a team but we found resources to compensate and score goals.

'I was frustrated at times because I saw the sloppy defending. It is the beginning of the season and you could see everyone was not as sharp as they could be and when that happens in your defending you pay for it.

'I didn't smile when we're 3-1 down but I am committed like my players - when you are 3-1 down you want to fight back.'

Wenger said he hoped to break the record on Wednesday against Blackburn but what was more pleasing for him was the continuation of the form which saw his side win the title last season.

'Once you have a consistent level of results you focus on the game you want to play and you have no subconscious fears and that is a bonus,' he told Sky Sports.

'We will try to break the record because it is our next game. We go into our next game trying to win it but you cannot plan two or three games ahead.

'There are only good sides in the Premiership and it is difficult to beat everyone.'

A shell-shocked Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren bemoaned his side's inability to hold onto a lead.

'It will take a couple of days to get over that but congratulations to Arsenal for a fantastic achievement,' he said.

'We had a chance to win here but we learned a lot about our team today. We need to be better than that but it bodes well for the rest of the season.

'We need to be better at 3-1 up, especially away from home.'