Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was delighted to avoid another giant-killing and hailed his side for their professional approach against Boro.
A brace from Olivier Giroud was enough to see the holders through to the quarter-finals after a one-side fifth round tie at the Emirates.
“It’s difficult for everybody in the Premier League,” said the Gunners boss.
“It requires focus and good pace and I think we controlled the game. We started well and played with pace and that gave them problems.
“Our fluency was great, our movement was good, our technical control was very good today. We lost a little fraction of urgency at 2-0 but we remained serious for the whole game.”
Although Boro failed to do themselves justice following their outstanding display at Manchester City in the fourth round, Wenger believes the Championship outfit are a good team.
“Middlesbrough are a good side,” he said, “well organised and if they had come back to 2-1 I think we would have struggled a little bit.
“They play good football, have good fluency but we managed not to give them any chances but overall you feel it is a good team.”
The victory was Arsenal’s ninth successive home win but Wenger knows there are tough challenges to come.
“We have some tough opponents (to come) here. We still have to play Liverpool, Chelsea and Everton at the Emirates and those will be very important games for us.”
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