Arsenal's resurgence continued as they dispatched Porto 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium to take a significant step towards reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Arsene Wenger celebrates 10 seasons at the north London club on Thursday - and the Gunners boss firmly believes he has never had more potential within his squad, despite what had been a sluggish start to the new campaign.
There was certainly plenty of evidence of what a free-flowing Arsenal side are capable of tonight, having finally made superior possession count when captain Thierry Henry headed the hosts in front with his 50th European goal eight minutes before half-time.
Alexander Hleb also got on the scoresheet at the start of the second half as The Gunners made it two wins from two in Group G, where another maximum-points haul from the trip to CSKA Moscow in a fortnight's time would all but mathematically secure a place in the second phase for last season's European Cup finalists.
Arsenal - with back-to-back Barclays Premiership victories behind them - had set their stall out early this evening.
Robin van Persie tested Porto's Brazilian goalkeeper Helton with a stinging 25-yard effort.
Following the resulting corner, Cesc Fabregas hooked the ball back from the touchline, with Kolo Toure stabbing it into the net at close range.
However, the Ivory Coast defender was denied a goal on his 200th Arsenal appearance when the assistant on the near side ruled the ball had gone out - a decision which replays showed to be marginal at best.
Porto are a much-changed outfit from the one which secured Champions League glory under Jose Mourinho in 2004.
However, the visitors still looked technically sound - and their flexible 4-4-3 formation could quickly be switched to a five-man midfield when needed.
The normally steadfast Jens Lehmann, who holds the Champions League record for consecutive clean-sheets, flapped at a corner - but fortunately Bruno Alves was unable to make the most of the loose ball in the penalty area.
When they did take the game forwards, The Gunners appeared to try too hard to create the perfect goal, electing to take an extra pass when perhaps a more direct approach was called for.
The patience of Wenger appeared to be wearing thin when he was asked by the fourth official to keep back from the edge of the technical area, with Italian referee Stefano Farina eventually ushering the Arsenal manager back to the bench.
On the half hour, The Gunners should have been 1-0 ahead when Henry carried the ball along the penalty area line and picked out van Persie on the right.
The Dutchman's first touch teed him up on the corner of the six-yard box - only to then blaze an effort high into the stands with the goal at his mercy.
Fabregas then fired a dipping shot just over when the ball dropped to the edge of the penalty area as Arsenal grew in confidence.
Van Persie then beat the offside trap and forced Helton into a smart low save at his near post.
However, the Porto 'keeper could do little moments later, as Henry nodded his side into the lead on 37 minutes.
Emmanuel Eboue made ground down the right, and whipped in a teasing centre. The ball flew just over Pepe towards the far post - where the Arsenal captain was waiting to expertly head back across the 'keeper and into the far corner to reach his European goal milestone.
A flicked backward header from van Persie almost doubled the home side's lead on the stroke of half-time.
Arsenal, though, did not have to wait long for a second goal - just three minutes after the restart - when William Gallas charged forwards and fed over possession to Henry at the edge of the Porto area.
The Gunners skipper moved the ball across before slipping in Hleb on the overlap down the right.The Belarus midfielder needed no second invitation and dispatched a low, angled drive into the far corner.
Arsenal were now in cruise control.
Henry made plenty more of his trademark runs to the by-line, with Fabregas' snap-shot from one such cutback across goal forcing a good reaction save by Porto 'keeper Helton.
Lehmann needed two attempts to gather a low, angled drive from Ricardo Quaresma at his right-hand post with 10 minutes to go before Arsenal closed out a comfortable victory.
