Ray Parlour celebrated his call-up to the England squad with a wonderful goal to spark a strolling Arsenal victory that took them to within a single point of Premiership leaders Manchester United.

But the midfielder was almost overshadowed by a charismatic cameo appearance by substitute Nwankwo Kanu.

It was amazing that champions Arsenal, now unbeaten in 13 consecutive League games, had only Parlour's 17th-minute effort to show for their total dominance of a depleted Coventry side until 10 minutes from the end.

But then Kanu, the 6ft 5in Nigerian with a magic touch in his size 13 boots stole the show.

He had been on in place of Nicolas Anelka for just five minutes when he swerved past Coventry skipper Gary McAllister, slipped the ball between the legs of Bosnian centre-back Muhammed Konjic and set up Marc Overmars for a simple scoring drive.

And Kanu, who has twice scored vital goals after coming on as sub in his brief Arsenal career, had not finished yet.

Another delightful touch put Dennis Bergkamp away on the right and he peeled away into the middle to meet the Dutchman's cross with a cracking drive that was deflected away for a corner.

Parlour's impressive 17th minute strike, the fifth goal in nine games by a man who has never before had any sort of reputation as a finisher, should have led to an Arsenal avalanche.

Arsene Wenger's team's clear superiority, decorated by some razor-sharp passing and movement, was almost embarrassing at times but they could not match it in front of goal.

Even Bergkamp missed a sitter two minutes after the opener.

Stepping around Richard Shaw to leave himself with only goalkeeper Magnus Hedman to beat after a wing-to-wing build-up between Overmars and Parlour cut the Coventry defence to ribbons again, the Dutchman was off target.

Incredibly Bergkamp lifted his shot beyond the far post when it looked easier to tap the ball in.

Hedman's heroics saved Coventry from a real mauling. He defied Overmars and Anelka in quick succession and was glad to see Overmars' shot slip wide of the far post after Anelka's spectacular overhead hook sent the winger surging through.

With five men in midfield fighting a losing battle to contain the power and poise of French duo Emmanuel Petit and Patrick Vieira, it was a lone slog up front for Darren Huckerby in a Coventry side shorn of suspended strikers Noel Whelan and John Aloisi.

And yet Arsenal's occasional complacency at the back in complete contrast to their normal mean machine reputation always offered the visitors a shaft of hope.

England goalkeeper David Seaman had to rush off his line to meet a back-pass by Lee Dixon who was put under pressure by a careless ball from Overmars. Steve Froggatt was just about denied a surprise equaliser.

And Froggatt was even more upset when a Paul Telfer cross left him with only Seaman to beat seven minutes before half-time.

He collapsed under the goalkeeper's ton-of-bricks challenge and referee Paul Alcock waved aside a furious appeal that should have been a penalty.

By this time the versatile Parlour had switched from right-wing to right-back after Dixon's 500th Arsenal appearance was prematurely ended by an ankle injury.

Parlour excelled in that position, too, but to be fair he had little to do as Arsenal kept pressing forward safe in the knowledge that the colossal Tony Adams could clear every Sky Blue threat almost single-handed.

Hedman made another save from Bergkamp; Overmars shot just over from Petit's flighted free-kick and Coventry ran themselves into the ground to keep the score respectable.

But in the end they could not cope with the magic of Kanu as Arsenal finally gave the scoreline some true reflection of their almost arrogant command.

Teams

Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon (Ljungberg 29), Adams, Keown, Winterburn, Parlour, Petit, Vieira, Overmars (Diawara 84), Bergkamp, Anelka (Kanu 77).

Subs Not Used: Bould, Manninger.

Booked: Winterburn.

Goals: Parlour 16, Overmars 80.

Coventry: Hedman, Nilsson (Edworthy 69), Shaw, Konjic, Burrows, Quinn, Telfer, McAllister, Soltvedt (Gioacchino 77), Froggatt, Huckerby.

Subs Not Used: Ogrizovic, Clement, Delorge.

Booked: Telfer, Konjic.

Att: 38,073

Ref: P Alcock (Halstead).