Fine goals from Mexican teenager Carlos Vela and Eduardo either side of half-time and Emmanuel Eboue's late strike set the Gunners up for a home tie against Hull in a fortnight's time and moved them a step closer to Wembley.

The victory - achieved with several of the first-team regulars rested and which marked a welcome return for England winger Theo Walcott after four months out because of a shoulder problem - extended Arsenal's unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions and proved just the right tonic ahead of next week's crucial Champions League trip to Roma.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger obviously had one eye on the European fixture given his team selection, as leading scorer Robin van Persie and full-back Gael Clichy were left on the bench while midfielder Denilson did not feature at all.

However, Wenger would have still expected this side to prove too strong for the visitors, cheered on by some 5,000 travelling fans.

Burnley boss Owen Coyle, though, had certainly not instructed his men to sit back and take a beating.

The Clarets, who knocked Arsenal out of the Carling Cup at Turf Moor back in December, started with plenty of attacking intentions in a fluid 4-3-3 formation. Alex Song made a well-timed challenge on Kevin McDonald as the visitors had the best of the early possession.

Eboue sprung the offside trap into the left side of the penalty area on seven minutes, but as he shaped to shoot, Burnley captain Steve Caldwell made a superb sliding tackle.

The Gunners finally took the lead with a fine breakaway goal on 25 minutes.

Andrei Arshavin latched onto a loose pass and threaded it through to Vela.

The Mexican teenager pushed the ball between Clarke Carlisle's legs and raced away towards goal. Joey Gudjonsson tugged back at his shirt, but Vela only had one thing on his mind, as he reached the edge of the area before chipping the ball over Jensen into the net.

The goal settled down the Emirates Stadium crowd - which at 57,454 was someway down on the official capacity.

As torrential rain suddenly swept into the ground, Burnley were now in danger of being over-run.

Carlisle made an important block just when Vela looked set to shoot from 18 yards.

Eduardo then chested down a through ball and burst into the box, where only a last-ditch tackle from Caldwell prevented him from extending the lead.

There was, though, a scramble in the Arsenal six-yard box when reserve keeper Lukasz Fabianski flapped at a near-post corner, which bounced off Chris McCann and then William Gallas before being hacked away.

Just before the break, Jensen tipped Eboue's angled drive around the his right-hand post.

Arsenal doubled their advantage with another well-worked goal six minutes into the second half.

Song chipped an angled ball over into the right side of the penalty area - where Eduardo had timed the run perfectly to flash in a superb volley off the outside of his left foot.

Burnley, though, refused to lie down and Martin Paterson sent a curling effort just wide from 18 yards, before Eagles was replaced by Wade Elliott.

Arsenal soon regained full control and it only looked a matter of time before the host chalked up a third, with Arshavin's header just lacking the power to beat Jensen.

Eduardo should have scored again when he was picked out at the far post by a deep cross from Sagna - but this time the Brazilian-born Croatia marksman could only head the ball back across goal and wide from six yards.

Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey and England winger Walcott were introduced for the final 20 minutes.

Walcott almost marked his return with a goal when latching onto Arshavin's pass, but Jensen was out quickly to make a smart save.

Substitute van Persie missed his kick at the far post, before Arsenal finally made it 3-0 with five minutes left.

Song's clever back-heel put Eboue clear into the right side of the penalty area and he drilled the ball into the far corner from close range.

A header from Caldwell hit the top of the crossbar following a corner - but there was to be no consolation goal for the brave, but outclassed visitors.