The game opened at a frenetic pace from the first second with the Gunners dictating proceedings. Their slick passing and movement reduced Tottenham Hotspur to the role of spectators for much of the first 20 minutes.
Robbie Keene was in on goal in the 18th minute and would surely have scored had it not been for a timely challenge in the box by Alexander Song.
Otherwise the goalmouth action was all at the other end. Van Persie, Andrey Arshavin and Nicklas Bendtner all kept Heurelho Gomes on his toes and warmed the Brazilian keeper up for the wonder save he pulled off in the 20th minute.
An Arshavin effort was blocked and fell to Fabregas stood on the Spurs penalty spot. A goal looked certain as the Gunners' captain's shot looked to be heading for the bottom right corner but the Spurs keeper stretched out an already elongated arm to palm the ball away.
There was a great deal of controversy too, most centring on the referee's inconsistency. Mark Clattenburg had the Arsenal fans shaking their heads and fists in disbelief when he didn't show a yellow card to David Bentley.
The former Gunner first offended with a deliberate hand ball and moments later scythed down Thomas Vermaelen. Many expected red, Clattenburg didn't even waive yellow. He did book Benoit Assou-Ekotto a few minutes later to the dismay of all fans and both managers for kicking the ball a few yards away.
Arsenal kept the pressure on, but strikes on goal by Arshavin and Van Persie were too tame to trouble the Spurs keeper. The goal that their play had promised did come in the 42nd minutes followed by another just seconds later.
The first came from Van Persie after he got ahead of Ledley King to stab home Bacary Sagna's low cross from the right past Gomes.
With Spurs still reeling, Fabregas pounced after Van Persie stole the ball after a wayward pass from Spurs' re-start. The midfielder dribbled his way through the Spurs midfield into the penalty area before shooting low and hard past Gomes into the bottom left corner of the net.
Arsenal's third came in the 60th minute, after the referee allowed play to continue when Assou-Ekotto had fouled first-half substitute Eduardo.
Having eventually realised that the clock was still ticking, Abou Diaby delivered a low cross from the right that Ledley King failed to clear and Van Persie tapped home from close range.
The Gunners should have made it four on 67 minutes when Eduardo was clear with just the keeper to beat but he shot wide from the edge of the area.
Diaby should have added another in the 83rd minute having got up to meet Fabregas' corner from the right, but he powered his header well wide.
Spurs held out to avoid complete humiliation, but the Gunners took all the points for their fans to enjoy the bragging rights.