STEVE McCLAREN couldn't escape a feeling of dj vu at the Riverside yesterday as Arsenal's masterclass cruelly exposed how much Middlesbrough must learn if they are to live with the Premiership big boys.

The Gunners have been Boro's bogey team in recent years, especially so in McClaren's time in charge. He has now lost all six encounters with Arsene Wenger's side, including the FA Cup semi-final defeat at Old Trafford two seasons ago, and this was Arsenal's ninth win in their last 11 visits to Teesside.

They have won their last four here without conceding a goal, scoring 11 in the process.

For former England coach McClaren, the man deemed most likely to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson when the Swede eventually clears his desk at Soho Square, this was where he came in.

A little over two years ago, McClaren launched his managerial career with a 4-0 defeat here at Arsenal's hands. If this was meant to be the day when Boro measured their progress under McClaren, then at best they have stood still.

With Eriksson and Boro legend Brian Clough in attendance, McClaren's men were humbled by Arsenal's majesty.

The speed and incisiveness of the Gunners' breaks as they cut vast swathes through the bewildered Boro rearguard, were a sight to behold.

They led 3-0 by the 23rd minute through Thierry Henry, Gilberto Silva and Sylvain Wiltord.

On the hour, Wiltord - whose future at Highbury remains uncertain - added his second, but had his side shown even greater finishing finesse and made the most of all their openings, they could have doubled their tally.

Following an initial scare, Szilard Nemeth firing over from close range in the first minute after the ball ricocheted back into his path off Sol Campbell, Arsenal were on Easy Street.

Skipper Patrick Vieira prompted the onslaught in only the fifth minute, setting up Freddie Ljungberg for a right-foot drive that goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer could only push with his out-stretched palm into the path of Henry, who beat Boro captain Gareth Southgate to knock home from just inside the six-yard box.

Schwarzer fared better in the 12th minute when he turned away Wiltord's angled drive.

Ljungberg drove over after the ball had broken to him from the resulant corner by Henry, but a minute later it was 2-0.

Ashley Cole and Robert Pires exchanged passes down the left before the Frenchman shuffled inside to clip the ball across goal.

Yellow shirts were queueing up in the shooting gallery, but it was Brazilian Silva who arrived first to dispatch a right-foot volley past Schwarzer for his first goal in competitive domestic football in England.

There was no respite for Boro as Arsenal moved forward at will. When Pires delivered a 17th-minute corner from the right, Campbell's header dropped narrowly wide.

But Boro then added to their problems when a mix-up between Juninho and Malcolm Christie presented Arsenal with the chance to break again and extend their lead.

Ljungberg's pass found Henry on the left and he teased his marker before lifting the ball to the six-yard line where Wiltord almost caressed it into the far corner of the net.

Colin Cooper's frustration surfaced soon afterwards when he was booked for a foul on Lauren, and the Boro defender can consider himself lucky to have stayed on the field after committing a crude challenge on Vieira seven minutes before half-time.

In between, Henry ought to have scored a second when he got in behind the Boro defence but shot tamely at Schwarzer.

Nemeth and, ultimately, Juninho offered Boro's best hope of a reply. Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann smothered Nemeth's effort at point-blank range in the 35th minute, and when the Slovakian escaped down the left three minutes later, his dangerous near-post centre just eluded Juninho.

Henry twice went close before a half-time interval which came as a blessed relief to punch-drunk Boro.

But Wiltord grabbed his second when Campbell pumped a long ball forward for Ljungberg, whose right-wing centre was easily converted by the Frenchman.

Juninho tested Lehmann in the 73rd minute but it was a token gesture of defiance from Boro's Brazilian talisman.

Quite what Gaizka Mendieta made it of it all is anyone's guess. The home fans were disappointed to learn that the debut of the Spanish World Cup midfielder had gone on hold after Boro failed to receive international clearance from Lazio.

They did at least get the chance to clap eyes on Mendieta and fellow new boy Danny Mills when the pair were paraded on the pitch - decked in red-and-white scarves - shortly before kick-off.

Mendieta was a member of the Valencia side which beat Arsenal on away goals in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2001, then Leeds en route to losing on penalties in the final to Bayern Munich.

Wenger has made the pursuit of the Premiership title, rather than the Champions League crown, his side's priority this season.

And this consummate demolition of Boro was conclusive evidence of the Gunners' intent.

Boro began their season with a bitterly disappointing 3-2 defeat away to Fulham, a side among many pundits' relegation fancies.

Now Boro head for newly-promoted Leicester tomorrow night desperate for their first point in a season McClaren regards as crucial to his club's future development.

Result: Middlesbrough 0 Arsenal 4.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.