Late winner at West Brom could be key to title: Henry

THIERRY HENRY believes his late winner at West Brom could prove a crucial moment in this season’s Premiership title race.

Henry's 84th-minute strike ensured the Gunners would go into tomorrow's Highbury clash with out-of-form Liverpool four points clear of second-placed Chelsea.

And it meant they could seize the advantage on a remarkable St Stephen's Day when they were the only top-six side to pick up maximum points.

Both Henry and his boss Arsene Wenger acknowledged the tremendous importance of his winner, which had a touch of fortune about it after Albion's Adam Chambers had failed to clear.

Henry said: "The commitment and aggression was missing in the first half but I think we showed it in the second half.

"I knew I had to do something. It is tight this season and if you slip up in one or two games you can be third or fourth.

"And it was more important to win because we have some very tough games against Liverpool and Chelsea coming up."

The Gunners had been reeling at the start after Daniele Dichio headed the home side's opener with less than three minutes on the clock.

And even after Francis Jeffers' timely equaliser at the beginning of the second half, Henry was guilty of wasting two good chances and both Larus Sigurdsson and Jason Roberts came agonisingly close to putting the Baggies back in front.

But the Gunners' resolve in not allowing the game to slip away was what pleased Wenger as he prepares to take his side into a busy and tough new year programme.

Wenger shared Henry's view, admitting: "This was a very big three points for us. Only when we took a gamble in the second half and put four people on the line did we create a few chances. It is looking like a happy Christmas for us because we have come back from an away game with a victory.

"We were good away last year, but recently we have not had that consistency. Hopefully this shows that the team is back on track."

Wenger is now confident his side have rediscovered the blend of skill and steel that delivered the double last season.

That hard-fought win over West Brom was exactly the kind of match that tends to decide championships.

Under siege for large parts of the match, Arsenal escaped from The Hawthorns with three points thanks to Henry's late winner.

But on a day which saw Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool all slip up, the win was good enough to leave the Gunners four points clear of Chelsea and seven ahead of the team Wenger sees as the principal threat, Manchester United.

Wenger was particularly pleased to see his side prove they had the stomach for a fight a quality that some have suggested is the Achilles heel of a squad rich in technical ability. "We were very mentally determined," he said. "A normal Arsenal team might not have won this game we had the mental strength to change things. We wanted it and we got it.

"I am very happy because we got three points and that shows that the team is back on track."

In the meantime, Liverpool travel to London on the back of a run of eight games without a win. Now 11 points adrift of Arsenal, Gerard Houllier's men are fully aware that another defeat would effectively end their chances of mounting a title challenge.

Freddie Ljungberg is a doubt for Arsenal's showdown with Liverpool after missing the win at West Brom with a heavy cold. Francis Jeffers is likely to continue up front after he scored as the Gunners battled back from a goal down to win 2-1 at The Hawthorns.

Dennis Bergkamp remains a doubt as he struggles to shake off a knee problem, but Patrick Vieira showed no ill effects from his recent groin injury and should continue in midfield.