HENRY’S A SHEAR DELIGHT
Arsenal 2 Man City Tarnat og 37 Anelka 89 Henry 83 PL, Feb 1, 2004, Emirates BY THIS was the night Thierry Henry turned into Alan Shearer.
The Frenchman scored 228 goals for Arsenal in eight years and, when asked to pick his favourites, he remembered an unusual strike at Highbury that helped extend the Invincibles’ unbeaten start to the season to 22 games.
Henry would call the Gunners’ home his “garden” because he felt so comfortable there. City did not enjoy playing there. They had not won at Highbury since 1975 and this match promised to be as tough as any City had there over the previous three decades.
Arsenal were unbeaten for nine months in the Premier League and had won the previous nine games between the sides.
The Gunners set a hot pace and were only inches away from taking an early lead after Henry prodded a shot against the outside of the post.
Henry was the provider for the opening goal, in the 37th minute.
As City striker Nicolas Anelka appealed for a free-kick against his old club, Arsenal broke and Dennis Bergkamp passed into Henry’s path.
His cross was heading for Freddie Ljungberg until City defender Michael Tarnat diverted the ball past his own keeper David James.
Arsenal doubled their lead in the 83rd minute and, again, the goal came moments after City felt they should have had a free-kick.
This time Robbie Fowler felt hard done by after taking a tumble under Sol Campbell’s challenge and Arsenal swept forward.
Edu fed Robert Pires and he laid the ball off to Henry.
He weighed up his options – and then chose the unlikeliest one.
Henry decided the top corner of City’s net was in his range and bent a right-foot shot into his target.
It was a goal the Frenchman struggled to explain years later when interviewed by Sky Sports.
“Those goals are more like Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink or Alan Shearer,” he said. “I used to love to curve the ball and, on that one, I just unleashed it and it went in.”
Anelka gave City hope with an 89th minute strike – but, seconds later, was seeing red for shoving defender Ashley Cole. Game over.