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Cesc Fabregas scored twice as Arsenal effectively booked their place in the knockout phase of the Champions League with a comfortable 4-1 win over AZ Alkmaar.

Samir Nasri and Abou Diaby were also on target as the Gunners ran riot against a sub-par AZ side in the Group H clash at the Emirates Stadium.

Fabregas was in fantastic form and handed Arsenal the lead with a skidding shot that caught AZ keeper Sergio Romero off-guard at the near post before adding Arsenal's third after Nasri had doubled the advantage with a sublime turn and finish three minutes before half-time.

Diaby put the finishing touches to another superb passing move for Arsenal's fourth while AZ grabbed a late consolation through substitute Jeremain Lens.

Arsenal wasted little time in grabbing the upper hand and forcing the visitors on to the back foot with some trademark slick passing and quick one-touch football.

Robin van Persie signalled their early intent as he sent a right-footed drive inches wide of AZ keeper Sergio Romero's right-hand post as the home side piled on the pressure.

Romero, who did not cover himself in glory with Fabregas's opener, handed the striker another opportunity to break the deadlock when he inexplicably handled a back-pass five minutes later. Fabregas touched it to the Dutchman whose rifled finish deflected of the mass of bodies assembled on the goal-line before going behind.

But it was not long before Arsenal turned their supremacy into a lead when Fabregas managed to beat Romero at his near post with a shot from outside the area.

The Spaniard looked as bemused as anybody that his effort had caught the AZ stopper off guard and found the back of the net.

AZ were penned into their own half for much of the opening 45 minutes and only caught occasional glimpses of the Gunners' goal with Martens wasting the best of their opportunities when his shot from the edge of the area was easily saved by Manuel Almunia.

But if Arsenal's opener was slightly fortunate, their second was expertly taken. Andrei Arshavin fed Nasri 30 yards from goal and the Frenchman turned superbly before planting a neat side-footed finish past Romero into the bottom corner.

AZ needed a quick riposte but Arsenal were in no mood to let them back into the game and effectively killed off the tie within five minutes of the restart.

Arshavin fed Fabregas into space with a neat through-ball and the Spaniard lifted his finish over Romero and into the roof of the net.

AZ striker Graziano Pelle rattled the bar with a smart turn and volley, but any hopes the visitors might have harboured of dragging themselves back into the match were put to bed by Diaby with 20 minutes remaining.

Eduardo picked out Arshavin with a fantastic back-heel and the Russian crossed for Diaby to calmly finish past the keeper.

The Dutch side did manage to pull back a late consolation against the run of play, with Lens charging forward and shooting past Almunia from just outside the box. But it was too little and far too late.

Arsenal's passage to the next round is not yet fully guaranteed after Standard Liege beat Olympiacos in the other Group H game, but a point in either of the Gunners' last two matches will ensure their passage to the latter stages.

Toby Davis / Eurosport