Today is Arsenal legend Thierry Henry’s Birthday. As celebration of his amazing talent, we take a look at his best top Arsenal moments.
HAT-TRICK AGAINST Liverpool, PREMIER LEAGUE 2004
Henry’s superb hat-trick was even more impressive when taking into account the importance of this game against Liverpool. The Gunners had started the week on course to win the treble, but losses to Man United in the FA Cup and Chelsea in the Champions League had left Arsene Wenger’s side with just the Premier League title to aim for. Unbeaten in the league going into the game, when Liverpool took a 2-1 lead in the first half it seemed Arsenal’s season was beginning to unravel. Cue the ever reliable Henry, who stepped up to score three. The best of the bunch was a terrific surging run through the Liverpool defence, shrugging Jamie Carragher off the ball, then slipping past the panicking Reds defence before slotting past Jerzy Dudek, in what would become a defining moment of the Gunners’ unbeaten season.
GOAL AGAINST TOTTENHAM, PREMIER LEAGUE 2002
Not only was this goal one of the finest ever seen at the old Arsenal Stadium, it was also that much sweeter for coming against the Gunners’ fierce local rivals Tottenham. Henry had scored only once in his previous seven games and the usually confident striker was, for once, lacking his va va voom. It only took 13 minutes on the pitch for the Frenchman’s prodigious talent to reappear, however. Picking up the ball up inside Arsenal’s own half in a sweeping counter-attack , he sprinted the length of the pitch leaving Spurs players in his wake, to finish neatly past goalkeeper Kasey Keller. The famous knee-slide celebration in front of the Tottenham fans is now immortalised as a statue outside the Emirates Stadium.
THIERRY STUNS THE BERNABEU, CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2006
Never one to shy away from records, Henry helped Arsenal become the first English side to win at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium. The Gunners were missing key players through injury, but went in at half-time pleased with the 0-0 scoreline. Two minutes after the break, Henry scored the stunning goal you can see below, as Arsenal beat Madrid to put one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals.
HENRY SCORES THE WINNER AGAINST UNITED, PREMIER LEAGUE 2007
In their first season at the Emirates Stadium, the Gunners had been inconsistent. In a tight, brilliant match against Manchester United, however, Henry scored a last-minute headed winner to hand Arsenal a much-needed boost, helping their season get back on track and leaving Alex Fergusonfuming.
THE KING IS BACK, FA CUP 2011
After five years away from the club, Henry proved he still had the magic touch in an Arsenal shirt by scoring the winning goal against Leeds in a nervy FA Cup third round game. The striker made it 12 goals in 12 games against the Whites, but also added another to his Arsenal record goal tally, making it 227 in an Arsenal shirt and also making dreams come true for Gunners fans.
