Henry flies high as Arsenal move the goalposts

Indeed, Henry had earlier articulated a rage about the six-week lay-off due to a groin injury that he had endured. "You could see that I had so much anger," he said, describing what it was like to take to the field against Sparta Prague as a first-half substitute for Jose Antonio Reyes, who suffered a cracked rib.

"I wanted to show my desire," Henry added. "So many people had been talking about whether I still have the desire to play for Arsenal. But every time I have worn the Arsenal shirt I have always played with my heart and I will always do that with commitment."

It is just the kind of impassioned statement that Arsenal fans have craved to hear from the 28-year-old - even if they would prefer him to back that up by agreeing the contract extension to keep him beyond 2007. However, even after his astonishing display, and amazing first goal, Henry was brushing off attempts to make him state anything other than he would wait until the season's end.

Much depends on how Arsenal perform in this competition and the win on Tuesday means that they need just one more point to progress from Group B. It came via Henry's 185th and 186th goals - one ahead of Wright's tally. But the Frenchman agreed with the view of his manager, Arsène Wenger, that he was not an out-and-out goalscorer.

"It's funny," said Henry, who signed from Juventus for £10.5m in 1999. "When I arrived here - and for two, three or four years - people were saying that I wasn't a natural born killer. I'm not, but I think I can still score goals."

He can do so much more. A great goalscorer, he is also a scorer of great goals and a provider - no one in the statistics-heavy Premiership era has recorded more assists. Henry has taken 14 more games (302 to Wright's 288) to reach the record, but he has scored five fewer penalties.

Wright said yesterday that he was pleased it was Henry who beat him. "It is no mean feat to come second to a player like that," he said. "It is not easy for me to say something like that, but it is an easier pill to swallow."

Henry said: "Wrighty is a legendand will always be a legend, whatever has happened and will happen."

Henry also revealed that it was only a late decision on Saturday evening that led to him travelling - which is a clear sign of the concern Wenger had for his team's fortunes after their defeat to West Bromwich Albion and a spate of other injuries. "I wasn't meant to play," Henry said.

He felt it during the game. "I didn't have the legs to carry on running but I'd only had one day's training," he said. "I didn't feel ready to play, but sometimes you feel ready and you don't deliver. Football is a strange sport. I just said to myself, 'Hang on, you have to do your best and take it step by step'. The scary thing is that I didn't want to come back too quickly and I still have to wait and see if there's a reaction."

Arsenal will be anxious that he is available for the Premiership match against Manchester City on Saturday. Gilberto Silva, who claimed this could be Arsenal's year in the Champions' League, spelled out Henry's importance. "He makes the difference in games," the Brazilian said. "He scores goals. He's a special striker. The way he plays, he does not play for himself but for the team."

Tale of two strikers

IAN WRIGHT

Bought on 24 Sep 1991 for £2.5m.

League: 221 games (9 as sub); 128 goals.

FA Cup: 16 (0); 12.

League Cup: 29 (0); 29.

Other/Euro: 22 (0); 16.

Total: 185 goals.

THIERRY HENRY

Bought on 3 August 1999 for £10.5m.

League: 208 games (16 as sub); 140 goals.

FA Cup: 21 (6); 6.

League Cup: 2 (0); 1.

Other/Euro: 71 (5); 39.

Total: 186 goals.