Sylvain Wiltord's sweet finish and a classic Thierry Henry free-kick ensured that Arsenal remain on the shoulder of Manchester United as the title race enters the finishing straight.

In a game at the Riverside which Arsenal controlled without ever hitting their highest gear, Wiltord struck early in the second half to keep the Gunners three points behind United with a game in hand.

It was by no means an easy game for the defending champions, despite the fact that Middlesbrough contrived only one shot or header on target, and nothing was certain until Henry scored eight minutes from time.

The strikers may have been the matchwinners but Arsenal, weakened by injury, were inspired by Ray Parlour, standing in as skipper for the injured Patrick Vieira in some style. More surprisingly, Pascal Cygan had his best game in an Arsenal shirt - not that that is saying much - in place of the not-fully-fit Martin Keown.

Parlour led by example from the start. He tried to release Henry and for a moment his through-ball looked promising but Ugo Ehiogu came across well to usher the Frenchman out of his stride.

The Gunners gradually forced Middlesbrough back into their own half and there was the first sniff of a chance after 12 minutes when Henry floated in a corner, Gilberto managed to win the header but was unable to direct it on goal.

The first shot in anger from either side did not come until the 20th minute when an intricate move ended with Robert Pires feeding Henry who tried a curler from the corner of the box but a couple of yards too high.

Middlesbrough went closer soon afterwards when Juninho's free-kick caused minor panic and Malcolm Christie was not far away with a looping header.

Some brilliant deception by Henry wrong-footed the Middlesbrough defence and left Wiltord with the ball, 12 yards out, but Gareth Southgate reacted quickly to fling himself in front of the striker and block his drive.

Gilberto clipped the heels of his fellow countryman Juninho 30 yards from goal but Boro's Brazilian drifted the free-kick well past the angle.

As the first half ebbed away, Christie and Arsenal keeper Stuart Taylor collided, the ball span free for a second in the Gunners' goalmouth before Cygan hacked it clear. Arsenal raced to the other end, Wiltord tried his luck from 25 yards but could not find the target.

With news coming in from Old Trafford at half-time that Manchester United were beating Blackburn, Arsenal knew they had to step up a gear.

It took less than three minutes of the second half to do so. Henry stole in to dispossess Doriva and immediately fed Wiltord on the edge of the box who sidefooted it first-time low inside Mark Schwarzer's post.

There was a chance for the home side to equalise in the 54th minute when Szilard Nemeth sent over a far-post cross but Jonathan Greening completely missed his volley.

Wiltord then wasted an opportunity to give Arsenal some breathing space when he pulled his shot wide from a good position eight yards out.

It was not all Arsenal though, and only some last-ditch and sometimes frantic defending by the reigning champions prevented Middlesbrough from creating chances of their own.

Wiltord did breach the defences again in the 70th minute, steering Henry's cross-cum-shot beyond Schwarzer but the goal was ruled out for offside, before there was a real scare for the Gunners when Southgate steered a knock-back for Juninho to strike a powerful rising drive a yard over Taylor's bar.

Eight minutes from time Henry wrapped the game up for the Gunners with a brilliant free-kick from the left corner of the penalty area, bending it with power into the top right-hand corner.

Ehiogu attempted to inspire a comeback but Ljungberg blocked his shot on the line, then Franck Queudrue landed a free-kick on top of the net.

Teams

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Cooper, Ehiogu, Southgate, Queudrue, Boateng, Doriva (Wilkshire 70), Greening, Juninho Paulista (Maccarone 83), Christie (Job 83), Nemeth.

Subs Not Used: Stockdale, Jones.

Arsenal: Taylor, Lauren, Cygan, Campbell, Cole (Luzhny 84), Ljungberg, Parlour, Silva, Pires (van Bronckhorst 90), Wiltord, Henry (Bergkamp 89).

Subs Not Used: Keown, Warmuz.

Booked: Henry.

Goals: Wiltord 48, Henry 82.

Att: 34,724

Ref: D Elleray (Middlesex).