ARSÈNE WENGER IS RIGHTLY scared of the prospect of Thierry Henry refusing to sign a new contract, though the future for the club may not be that bright even if he does put pen to paper. At least Arsenal would begin to take penalties properly after Robert Pires’s shambles of an attempt on Saturday.

There has always been a danger that uncertainty over Henry’s future would overshadow this crucial season for Arsenal as they prepare to move into the Emirates Stadium, though the club are certainly not ducking the issue. Short of naming their new ground after him, there is little more they can do to massage the Frenchman’s not inconsiderable ego.

Even on so-called “Wenger Day” at Highbury, one of many themed days to commemorate the club’s departure from their 92-year-old home, Henry was the only show in town, with so much pre-match entertainment in his honour that the match kicked off five minutes late. A troupe of Junior Gunners bearing banners celebrating his 186 goals for the club filled the centre circle before Ian Wright, seemingly dressed as a removal man, arrived to present his successor as Arsenal’s record goalscorer with a silver cannon. Given the team’s subsequent poor performance, Wright’s extraordinary outfit was the highlight of the afternoon.

It took a strangely schizophrenic display from Pires to draw attention away from his compatriot. The France midfield player was involved throughout with varying degrees of success, missing the sitter of the season in the tenth minute after a good ball from Henry and converting the 61st-minute penalty after you-know-who took a tumble, before his moment of madness. “We won 1-0, I scored the only goal and so that means it is still my afternoon,” he said. One hoped he was joking.

Wenger offered a more honest appraisal, saying his side were tired after their midweek visit to Prague and consequently below par. “I feel we were a little bit jaded physically and struggled to find our sharpness,” he said. “What kept us going was our organisation and the fight more than our fluency. It was a difficult match for us because Manchester City were very organised and they were unlucky to lose.

“At home we have been very efficient but there has been no room for me to change the team because of injuries. So we have played the last three games with virtually the same players and that explains why when we are going forward we do not look so sharp.”

Gilberto Silva was even more forthright, admitting his side had not performed properly. “We didn’t play our proper game at all,” the midfield player said. “We were very tired from our last game and it was such a strange match for us. But we got the result, three points, and that is good because we were not at our best.

“When you are not at your best, getting the results is very important. It will help us to think about the next game. Maybe getting the result without playing well will help us to feel a bit more fresh. It was a different game and we will make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

That they were forced to labour so long and hard was largely because of the visiting team, who appear to be transformed under Stuart Pearce. With Joey Barton and Claudio Reyna working hard in midfield and Antoine Sibierski a willing outlet up front, they more than held their own, with Kiki Musampa a threatening presence down the left.

With Arsenal restricted to penalties and shots from distance, City created several chances, Sibierski and Musampa both going close, and would have had a deserved equaliser if Darius Vassell’s second-half header had not been adjudged offside.

Pearce was understandably happy with his players but not the result. “I was disappointed for my players,” he said. “I thought they showed great spirit, great endeavour and worked hard at the game plan we set out.

“We tried to impose ourselves on Arsenal. The game plan was designed to win the match, not draw the game. Arsenal are a fantastic side and they have a simply fantastic player up front who created the first penalty.”

Having lost many games his side have dominated over the years, Wenger was grateful for a reversal in fortune, sparing his long- suffering wife, Annie, a tortured evening on his 56th birthday.

“If you look at the other results for clubs who were involved in the Champions League, it shows you how difficult it is to perform. Manchester United got only a draw at home to Tottenham and Liverpool lost away at Fulham.

“I am very satisfied that we have got the three points here today because Manchester City are a very good side. My mood at the meal if we had not won that game would have been terrible. It would have been terrible.”

PENALTY FAIR?

April 30, 1977: Derby County 4, Manchester City 0: Mud hides the penalty spot, so the groundsman has to bring on a tape measure and repaint it when Derby are awarded a penalty. Gerry Daly duly scores Derby’s fourth goal

December 5, 1982: Ajax 5, Helmond Sport 0: Johan Cruyff knocks the ball forward to Jesper Olsen on his left. He returns the pass to Cruyff, who taps home

January 1, 2005: Portsmouth 1, Norwich City 1: Yakubu Ayegbeni has to retake a penalty twice because of encroachment by his Portsmouth team-mates. He finds the net all three times

BILL EDGAR