09/04/2004

Henry hat-trick secures three vital points for Arsenal

Arsenal have bounced back from their disappointing exits from the FA Cup and Champions League to secure three vital points in their hunt for the Premiership title.

A Thierry Henry hat-trick took the Gunners to seven points clear at the top of the league today as the north London side dispatched Liverpool 4-2.

Arsenal had to work hard for their win as Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia gave the away side a dream start with a powerful header after five minutes.

Henry levelled the scores on the 31st minute but it was a Michael Owen strike that sent the Reds into the lead just two minutes before half-time break.

But within five minutes of the restart Arsenal took the lead for the first time in the game, with goals from Robert Pires and Thierry Henry in the 49th and 50th minute.

To the relief of manager Arsene Wenger, Thierry Henry completed his hat-trick in the 78th minute and maintained the club's unbeaten run in the Premiership this season.

This had been a bad week for treble-chasing Arsenal; defeats to Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final and a 3-2 loss to Chelsea over two-legs in the Champions League could have shattered the team's confidence heading into today's game. But an irresistible second-half performance saw the 2002 league champions keep their season alive.

Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier hailed the Arsenal second half as "stunning", while Arsene Wenger said he was "surprised" at what he described an "amazing" display.

With 31 games played, Liverpool stay a point ahead of Newcastle in the battle to secure the fourth Champions League spot.

(gmcg)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

07 April 2004
London Blues gun down Arsenal’s European dream
Underfire Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri secured his place in the club’s hall of fame last night after dramatically steering the club to its first European Champions league semi-final.
27 February 2007
FA charges Arsenal and Chelsea over Carling Cup brawl
Premiership teams Arsenal and Chelsea have both been charged with misconduct by the Football Association over following a brawl during Sunday's Carling Cup final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, which saw three players sent off.
08 September 2006
Teen in court over stabbing death
A 17-year-old has appeared in court charged with the murder of a woman stabbed to death on a south London street. The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of murdering Carmelita Tulloch, 51. Mrs Tulloch, who has two daughters and a granddaughter, was attacked as she walked to work around 9am on Tuesday morning.
04 April 2006
Man arrested over abduction of girl from bath
Police investigating the abduction of a six-year-old girl from her bath last December have arrested a man. A 34-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday morning at an address in Blyth, Northumberland, on suspicion of abduction and serious sexual assault. A 25-year-old woman was also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
08 May 2006
Surprise inclusion for Walcott in England squad
Arsenal reserve Theo Walcott has been named in Sven-Goran Eriksson's provisional World Cup squad. The 17-year-old striker, who has not played for Arsenal's first team since joining from Southampton at the start of the year, was one of four strikers named in the 23-man provisional squad by Eriksson today.