Thierry Henry hit Aston Villa with another of his super strikes to secure all three points for Arsenal.

	Patrick Vieira and Villa's Ian Taylor in action at Arsenal's current Highbury home (SteveBardens/Allsport)

Robert Pires put a lovely ball into his fellow Frenchman's stride and Henry rammed it between Gareth Barry's legs like an arrow to flash past the bewildered David James into the far corner.

Villa had Lee Hendrie sent off for his second bookable offence, a bad foul on Pires. The pressure had been on the visitors from the start at Highbury.

Villa's Steve Stone coolly cleared dangerous crosses by Ray Parlour and Lee Dixon and when ex-Highbury favourite Paul Merson did well to get on the ball and attack the home defence he was well tackled by Tony Adams.

Arsenal broke quickly through Robert Pires on the left and when the Frenchman switched the ball inside Dennis Bergkamp hit a cracking first-time drive to force an outstanding save at the near post by David James.

Villa responded by forcing the first corner of the game after seven minutes and Arsenal did not clear it convincingly, but Lee Hendrie's instant shot from outside the area comfortably cleared the bar.

James got away with a fumble when Arsenal got their own first flag-kick on nine minutes and Villa cleared the danger.

At the other end Gareth Southgate was well forward for a Hendrie cross from the left and applied a stabbing, close-range shot but was unlucky to see it bounce away off David Seaman who could not have known much about it.

And it was Southgate who executed a perfect tackle on Henry on the fringe of the Villa area just when the speedy striker threatened to crown an exciting opening quarter-hour by bursting clean through the visitors' defence.

When Bergkamp took possession just inside the Villa area from a Lauren corner, Adams clearly expected the Dutch striker to unleash a thunderbolt and jumped in the air, but Bergkamp mis-hit the effort and the ball rolled tamely under the Arsenal captain straight to James.

Villa, playing well on the counter, might well have scored twice in a matter of two minutes.

First Southgate, up in attack again, was left free on the far post from a curling Merson free-kick and just failed to clip a narrow-angled shot over Seaman, the England keeper desperately flapping the ball away.

It fell kindly for Arsenal but in the 20th minute Villa were back on the attack and this time Gareth Barry took the ball around Lauren before trying a 25-yarder which dipped just over the crossbar.

There was a lovely ebb and flow about the game and just before half hour, Henry only missed a cross from Parlour with his head after out-jumping Barry.

Villa, all in black, were giving just as good as they got, on a ground where they had not won for seven years, and often their passing was superior to Arsenal's.

Ian Taylor kept a tight rein on Patrick Vieira, back for Arsenal after a five-match ban, in midfield and the tall Frenchman's frustration showed in a foul on Dion Dublin in the 34th minute.

Merson swung the free-kick in again and it carried over Adams' head, but Gilles Grimandi did just enough to put off Dublin and the striker's header went wide of the mark from a very promising position.

Parlour was getting through a mountain of work in Arsenal's central midfield and swung the ball out to Silvinho on the left where the Brazilian hit a fierce 25-yard drive that James was glad to hang on to.

Referee Rob Harris denied Arsenal a free-kick for what looked a clear foul on Pires and Henry foolishly took out their frustration on Merson with a late tackle that got him deservedly booked.

But Harris could not fail to see a deliberate obstruction by Southgate a few seconds later on Pires as the winger tried to get on the end of Henry's return ball to the edge of the area.

Southgate was booked but Henry's attempted shot from the free-kick was deflected away for an unproductive corner.

Grimandi had to clear off Arsenal's line in the opening minute of the second half when Alan Wright prevented Taylor's over-hit cross going out of play and hooked it back into the goalmouth.

Then Seaman raced out of his area to fell Joachim on Villa's left flank to give Merson the opportunity of another floated free-kick which Dublin just failed to meet with his head in a crowded six-yard box.

But Arsenal also soon discovered some sparkle which had been missing from their first-half display and Bergkamp and Henry were both denied by last-ditch defending as they tried to put away a low cross from Silvinho after the full back was released by Pires's neat pass.

A blunder by Turkish defender Alpay handed Pires a half-chance which James bravely took off his foot with a fearless plunge, and then Alpay was booked for a blatant obstruction on Henry who tried to move into a shooting position from Bergkamp's pass.

Bergkamp hit the free-kick straight into Villa's defensive wall and it was just not quite happening for the Gunners.

But in the 61st minute Henry hit Villa with yet another of his astonishing strikes - his sixth goal of the season.

It was on the opposite corner of the box - the right - to where he launched a spectacular winner against Manchester United two weeks ago.

Pires put a lovely ball into his fellow Frenchman's stride and Henry rammed it between Barry's legs like an arrow to flash past the bewildered James into the far corner.

Villa were in even bigger trouble four minutes later when Lee Hendrie was sent off for his second bookable offence, a bad foul on Pires.

At first referee ref Harris did not seem to realise he had already yellow carded him eight minutes earlier for throwing the ball away at a free-kick and showed only the yellow card.

It was only after Grimandi stepped forward to have a word with the official that he produced the red one as well.

Down to 10 men, Villa rallied but Arsenal hung on for another home win.