Arsenal:
             Lehmann
 Toure Cygan (Lauren 25) Senderos Clichy
Fabregas (Ljungberg 78) Vieira Flamini Cole
  Henry Quincy (van Persie 74)

Up front, van Persie was back from his ban but, as expected, Quincy was preferred as a partner to Henry who had shaken off his slight injury in order to warm up for the Bayern game with a match-winning hattrick.

Lehmann saved from Lua Lua early doors, then Vieira's through ball set up Quincy but he shot wide. Then on 12 minutes Quincy set up Henry who made space for himself on the edge of the box before also putting it wide.

A minute later Pompey had the ball up the other end and a good cross from their left saw Yakubu's header crash back off the crossbar. Then the Lauren-for-Cygan swap had to happen and it took Arsenal a little while to settle again. Berger went close with a header.

But 6 minutes before the break we took the lead. Freddie found space to the right of the box and cut the ball back to Henry in the box. He controlled it and then hit an early shot as he turned which might have got a deflection on its way to beating the keeper at his right hand post.

In first half injury time the ball was played at Flamini's hand in our box. Some refs might have given the penalty but I like to think it's not just my bias that makes me think this ref was right not to. Not only was it definitely ball-to-hand, but also, although the hand was raised, it was very much in front of his body.Just before the whistle, Pompey's new Greek keeper dropped a corner and Vieira somehow managed to put his close range shot over the bar.

Arsenal started the second half well. A cross by Lauren was met by Fabregas's diving header, but it flashed just inches over the bar.

Then Vieira collected the ball from Flamini who'd regained possession (another great game from the new and improved Ray Parlour) and advanced through the middle of the park before slipping it through to Henry on the left corner of the box. The keeper came out and Henry chipped it over him for 2-0.

On the hour Henry's cross evaded Chalkias but Taylor cleared it from under the bar. Arsenal took their foot off the gas a bit and Steve Stone forced a save from Lehmann when a corner found him near the penalty spot. Then Yakubu gave Lehmann no chance when he met a Lua Lua cross with a fine shot, but it went just wide.

5 minutes before the end Henry completed the scoring with a free kick which curled towards the top right corner. The keeper jumped to stop it, and did so. Quite a good save, in fact. But the ball fell down on his leg and bounced back into the net. It's not impossible that the goal will be taken away from Henry and chalked up as an own goal. But for now it does seem to be being credited to the Arsenal man, and puts him just 8 away from Wrighty's record.