Arsenal - 2 Charlton Athletic - 0 In an era when resting strikers regularly is common policy it sums up Thierry Henry's value that he has started all but one of Arsenal's 39 Premiership and Champions League matches.
The one he missed was down to injury, and the Frenchman emphasised his importance yesterday in helping his team open an eight-point lead.
Henry coasted through long periods of the second half, like most of his team-mates, but terrified Charlton throughout. Crucially, his bursts down the left set up the goals by Francis Jeffers and Robert Pires which broke the resistance of Alan Curbishley's team and left Arsenal cruising towards a comfortable win. They show no signs of surrendering their title.
But for several excellent saves by Dean Kiely, Arsenal would have won more comfortably. Charlton arrived as the Premiership's in-form team, with five successive victories, but this showed the gap between the division's best and an improving team with dreams of reaching the UEFA Cup. Arsenal feel Highbury is where the championship will be decided and their focus was spot on. Their starting XI, remember, was missing both first-choice full backs, central midfielders and Dennis Bergkamp.
Charlton's energetic start made life hard for the Double winners, but once Jeffers had scored, and particularly after a mistake by Chris Powell had helped Pires get number two just before half-time, the outcome was not in doubt.
Martin Keown and Sol Campbell snuffed out the visitors' best efforts with solid performances in central defence, Edu did a decent job in midfield in the absence of the suspended Patrick Vieira, and Henry's athleticism, speed and power were frequently a feature of the play.
Henry had scored 10 goals in his nine previous Premiership games, but what makes him all the more valuable to Arsenal is his capacity to create in equal abundance. Long before the end Charlton players were standing off him when he received possession, unwilling to go in quickly for fear of being left for dead.
Henry has found life tough against the best European defences since his hat-trick at Roma, but few Premiership back lines can contain him. He played deeper than normal because Jeffers partnered him instead of the injured Bergkamp, but he revelled in the chance to dictate play more.
A stricter referee than Rob Styles might have sent off Henry just after the half-hour but sensibly the official showed only a yellow card when the striker kicked out at Scott Parker after what looked a fair tackle. Then Styles kept his cards in his pocket when Henry barged into Parker to win a header shortly after.
"Thierry had a few minutes when he was on a high and I was a little bit scared he could over-react again," said Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger.
"I deserved the first yellow card," said Henry, "but the second challenge was a fair header. It was a case of two minutes of too much adrenalin, but importantly the players were all talking to me and I got my mind focused on the game."
Charlton rarely found the clarity of thought to open up Arsenal's defence.
With Newcastle and Manchester United playing in midweek, Arsenal's lead could soon be cut, but they will feel confident going into their last nine matches.
"Teams may come here and be beaten before they get off the bus," said Curbishley.
Arsenal did not look altogether comfortable to begin with but Henry hit a post and set up Pires for a shot which Kiely saved brilliantly before they took the lead. Edu's pass enabled Henry to spin away from Jon Fortune and cross for Jeffers to tap in.
Any hope Charlton had evaporated before half-time. Henry accelerated down the left again, Powell sliced his clearance and the returning Freddie Ljungberg kept the ball in via a post for Pires to head past Kiely.
Wenger has now picked up 500 points as manager of Arsenal and few would back against him collecting the 20 or so he needs for a second straight title.
ARSENAL: Seaman, Toure, Campbell, Keown, van Bronckhorst, Parlour, Ljungberg (Wiltord 64), Edu, Pires (Silva 68), Jeffers, Henry. Subs Not Used: Cygan, Warmuz, Pennant. Booked: Henry. Goals: Jeffers 26, Pires 45.
CHARLTON: Kiely, Young, Kishishev, Fish, Powell (Konchesky 79), Lisbie, Parker (Svensson 88), Jensen, Fortune, Bartlett (Johansson 59), Euell. Subs Not Used: Roberts, El Khalej.
Referee: R Styles (England)
