On this day 16 years ago Thierry Henry helped Arsenal to a crucial victory in one of the most momentous matches grand old Highbury had ever seen…and one which helped the Gunners take a big step towards the Premier League title – and Invincible status…

Layth Yousif, who was in his usual season ticket seat in the Clock End for that never-to-be-forgotten match on Good Friday, April 2004, recalls the day…

PROLOGUE

It was amazing to think after going 32 Premier League games unbeaten from August to April during the 2003/04 season Arsenal were being questioned more than ever as they headed into the title run-in.

Admittedly, they had just lost an FA Cup semi-final to Manchester United at Villa Park after an insipid display, prompted by Arsene Wenger opting to rest key personnel including Thierry Henry, who was benched in favour of greenhorn Jeremie Aliadiere.

The reason for the decision?

The huge Champions League quarter-final second leg London derby against the new money of Chelsea a mere three days later.

The subsequent defeat to the west Londoners had to be one of the most disappointing results for the club in the 22 years that Wenger ruled Arsenal.  

For despite a dominant first-half performance which saw them head 1-0 up into the Highbury tunnel for the interval courtesy of a goal from the late, lamented Jose Antonio Reyes, a Frank Lampard goal five minutes after the break levelled matters.

With the tie heading into extra time, on the back of the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in the first leg 13 days previously, worse was to come with only 180 seconds remaining when John Terry’s defensive partner - and soon-to-be former best friend – Wayne Bridge, netted a winner for Chelsea.

It was an agonising blow for Arsenal supporters massed inside Highbury and watching around the globe. With Monaco waiting in the semi-finals and Porto in the final, many Gooners felt – and still do – that was the season the Gunners should have been the first London side to lift the Champions League.

With the Portuguese outfit led by a young up and coming coach called Jose Mourinho, who knows if a possible Arsenal victory against Porto in Gelsenkirchen, could have stalled Chelsea’s interest in him – and possibly changed the course of English football.

As it was, Arsenal’s 3-2 aggregate loss to Chelsea was compounded by the fact that supreme tinkerman, Stamford Bridge boss Claudio Ranieri, lived up to his name in that Champions League last four first leg clash in Monaco.

Ranieri opted for a strange team selection and absurd tactics which saw the two-legged tie lost before half-time in the principality as Chelsea slipped to a 3-1 defeat over 90 minutes to ultimately lose 5-3 on aggregate.

2004 could and should have been Arsenal’s year in the Champions League, yet similar to their 2001 quarter-final defeat to Valencia the football gods failed to look favorably upon Wenger’s team when it came to the promised land of Europe’s top club tournament.

GOOD FRIDAY 2004

However, on Good Friday, 2004, the only thing that mattered was victory over Liverpool at Highbury – not only to kick-start momentum again but also to shove the words of doubters outside the club back down their throats.

Thankfully, after 90 pulsating minutes in one of the most memorable games – and memorable goals – in the long and illustrious history of Highbury and The Arsenal, the result proved to the watching world Arsenal were back and had no right whatsoever to be labeled chokers.

Arsenal vs Liverpool starting XI:

Arsenal: Lehmann; Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Cole; Ljungberg (Keown), Vieira, Silva, Pires (Edu); Bergkamp, Henry.

Unused subs: Reyes, Clichy, Shaaban.

Liverpool: Dudek; Carragher, Hyypia, BIscan, Riise, Diouf (Murphy), Hamann, Gerrard, Kewell, Heskey (Baros).

Unused subs: Henchoz, Cheyrou, Bernadi.

Referee: Alan Wiley

Attendance: 38,119

ARSENAL 4-2 LIVERPOOL

It was no surprise Henry added another chapter to his legendary status that day.

Hauling his club back into the game with a sublime hat-trick to re-establish Arsenal’s title credentials, which they had seemed to be on the verge of throwing away in the most incredible fashion, Henry also helped provide his team with a galvanizing victory – for the effects on morale were almost as important as the three points they gained.

Propelled by Henry’s superhuman efforts, a season that many who hated Arsenal had said was stripped bare after those two defeats against Manchester United and Chelsea on the Saturday and Tuesday was rejuvenated, fittingly enough on Good Friday.

Henry’s dramatic and world class interventions were the finale to a match that started badly for the Gunners when Liverpool scored after only five minutes through Sami Hyppia. Following three corners in quick succession, Steven Gerrard fed the big Finn from Harry Kewell, as he notched emphatically from close range to put the travelling Reds 1-0 up to leave Wenger’s men – and most of Highbury stunned.

It could have been worse but for a clever piece of defending from Sol Campbell prevented the diminutive Michael Owen from doubling Liverpool’s lead after John Arne Riise played a through ball which sliced open the Gunners defence.

In a shaky start from the home side Jens Lehmann was fortunate to see an Owen shot loop over after an uncertain intervention from the German.

TIDE TURNS 

The tide turned on 31 minutes when Brazil midfielder Gilberto stole the ball from Didi Hamann, before Robert Pires provided Henry with a chance that he slotted home with panache to level the scores at 1-1.

The relief was tangible inside Highbury but it didn’t stop Arsenal from conceding again on 42 minutes, when Owen ran through to score Liverpool’s second goal to make it 2-1 moments before half-time.

The interval came not a moment too soon for Wenger’s Gunners. This was to be the defining moment of their season – a season where they had remained unbeaten in the league so far, but had to respond and show the talent and character they possessed in abundance.

A MAGNIFICENT RESPONSE FROM ARSENAL

They did in a magnificent response that will be talked about for as long as Arsenal exists which simply swept Liverpool away in one of the best performances by a Gunners side in an important game – ever.

What character they showed when the world outside Highbury doubted them. What bravery to respond to such a perilous position by continuing to play expansive, attacking football that were their core principles under those peak Wenger sides.

Firstly, Henry and Ljungberg joined forces on 49 minutes in allowing Pires to finish with aplomb to pull the score back to 2-2. With the crowd still celebrating, sixty seconds later came one of the best goals in Arsenal’s history – and one of the most important to boot.

Henry had decided enough was enough and beat five Liverpool players including Jamie Carragher (twice) before slotting the ball calmly past keeper Jerzy Dudek, following a mazy, heart-stopping, life-affirming run which had the crowd roaring in as loud a celebration as anyone had heard at the venerable old ground.

It was the beauty and importance of the strike, not the standard of defending by the opposition in that moment which mattered.

To decry the quality of Henry’s second goal would be to complain about the fact Leonaro da Vinci’s Mona Lisa has a cracked surface.

In other words, to focus on anything other than the artwork would be to detract from Henry’s effort that day – and would be as curmudgeonly as it would be inappropriate.

Quite simply anyone who witnessed what Henry did that on glorious, long-lost Highbury day will never forget what they saw.

It was a goal that will live forever, not just on camera but in the sepia tinted memories of every Gooner who was there – as well as those who savoured the strike on television around the globe.

Henry then completed his treble to clinch a vital victory, after he capitalized on sloppy marking following the Bergkamp’s through-ball, to fire into the net on 78 minutes to end the scoring on a breathless afternoon.

LIVERPOOL HAIL 'WOUNDED ANIMAL' ARSENAL

It was enough to leave even then Liverpool boss Gerrard Houlier purring afterwards when he admitted: “I thought Arsenal were simply stunning in the second half.

"It was the best performance I have ever seen against my team.

“I don’t think anyone could have competed with Arsenal in that form. They reacted like a wounded animal.

“We knew they were good – but that was everything I feared from them after their two disappointments [against United and Chelsea]. Today we simply have to praise Arsenal.”

And the legendary Henry…

You can follow Layth on Twitter @laythy29 - and don't forget to follow us @GoonerFanzine