The Highbury faithful these days are accustomed to seeing their football flow like fine French wine.

But there was a distinctly vinegary after-taste about Arsenal's injury-time victory in this London derby after they had struggled to break down Fulham for so long.

Robert Pires supplied both Arsenal goals - his second coming in the 91st minute to follow a towering first-half header.

Arsene Wenger, so disappointed to draw against Liverpool in midweek, could regard himself hugely fortunate to take all three points from an encounter during which Arsenal were a pale shadow of the team who had been so dazzling in midweek.

No matter it is the points that count. And these three saw Arsenal extend their lead at the top of the Premiership to six points, with Manchester United easing into second place with their victory over Southampton.

United, of course, have a game in hand which means by the time the two clubs meet in the FA Cup at Old Trafford in a fortnight's time three points only could separate the teams.

By any measure that would suggest the Premiership title is once again wide open.

Before this match Arsenal manager Wenger had maintained that, after signing goalkeeping cover in Frenchman Guillaume Warmuz, the Gunners now had the "perfect squad".

No-one would argue with that, but on the day too many of Wenger's individual stars failed to fire.

Thierry Henry was relatively quiet, Dennis Bergkamp for once lacked penetration and there appeared to be a lethargy bordering on complacency at times about the Gunners.

Fulham almost took advantage and manager Jean Tigana will have left Highbury feeling as if his side had been mugged.

For Arsenal Bergkamp passed a fitness test on an ankle injured in the midweek draw against Liverpool, while Sylvain Wiltord replaced Ray Parlour and Martin Keown returned after suspension to replace Pascal Cygan.

Fulham made two changes from the side who lost 4-1 to Manchester City in midweek.

With Rufus Brevett having crossed London to act as a firefighter in West Ham's relegation battle, Jon Harley came in at left-back and Facundo Sava replaced Bjarne Goldbaek.

It did not help Fulham's cause when Sylvain Legwinski had to be replaced by Andy Melville after just 10 minutes - and perhaps that unsettled them because Arsenal's first goal came just seven minutes later.

The approach and execution epitomised the simplicity and ruthlessness of Arsenal's challenge.

Henry picked up the ball on the left, feigned to cross with his right foot leaving Fulham full-back Steve Finnan marking fresh air, then checked back to cross with his right.

So precise was his delivery that Pires seemed to be suspended three feet above the turf as he awaited the ball unmarked at the far post.

The Frenchman supplied the coup de grace with one powerful thrust of his neck muscles and the the Highbury crowd broke into a spontaneous rendition of "Champions".

The match had the air of an exhibition at that stage but Arsenal were shaken out of their complacency as the game approached the half hour when Sol Campbell and Keown reacted slowly to a high, spinning ball in their penalty area.

Fulham's Steed Malbranque was not nearly as tardy, meeting the dipping ball with a thunderous volley which left David Seaman sprawling for Fulham's equaliser.

Suddenly, it seemed, we had a match where before it had been decidedly one-way traffic and at the heart of Fulham's improvement was Sean Davis.

There are those who believe the midfielder should be in Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad for England's match against Australia a week on Wednesday.

He might not make that one but, on this evidence, it cannot be long before Davis, whose movement and work rate are impressive, gets his international opportunity.

There is too much talent brimming in all departments at Highbury these days, however, to be contained even when they are not at their free-flowing best.

Fulham survived a penalty appeal in the 64th minute when Martin Djetou appeared to bring down Pires and Henry summed up Arsenal's frustration when he was booked in the 69th minute for dissent after a bizarre offside decision when he in effect played the ball to himself.

Wenger threw on Francis Jeffers for Wiltord in a bid to supply the elusive penetration and within a minute of his arrival he had stung the fingers of Fulham goalkeeper Maik Taylor with a thunderous volley.

It seemed it was going to be one of those days when Gilberto then dragged his right-foot shot against the foot of an upright and the Brazilian was later replaced by Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

In the end, however, it was the lively Jeffers who surged in the Fulham penalty area deep into injury time to cross for Pires to slide the ball hone for an unlikely victory.

But they all count - and Wenger pocketed three more points towards a possible third double.

Teams

Arsenal Seaman, Cole, Keown, Campbell, Lauren (Toure 84), Pires, Vieira, Silva (van Bronckhorst 79), Wiltord (Jeffers 70), Bergkamp, Henry.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Cygan.

Booked: Lauren, Henry, Toure.

Goals: Pires 17, 90.

Fulham Taylor, Harley, Goma, Djetou, Finnan, Boa Morte, Davis, Malbranque, Legwinski (Melville 10), Marlet, Sava (Saha 69).

Subs Not Used: Goldbaek, Herrera, Wome.

Booked: Melville.

Goals: Malbranque 29.

Att: 38,050

Ref: E Wolstenholme (Lancashire).