“Could this signal the beginning of the end for Arsenal’s Premier League aspirations?”
April 9, 2004.
Exploiting a surprisingly lackadaisical defense from Arsenal’s backline, Sami Hyypia has just scored, giving Liverpool a 1-0 lead at Highbury Stadium.
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Disaster.
Entering the clash with Gerard Houllier’s Liverpool, Arsenal knew they were merely eight games away from Premier League immortality. Having maintained an unbeaten streak through 30 matches in the 2003/04 season, eight more games without defeat would secure their status as modern English football’s first-ever ‘Invincibles’ and secure a third Premier League title under legendary manager Arsene Wenger.
Of the remaining eight games, the one against Liverpool appeared to be the most apparent potential stumbling block for the Gunners. The Reds were in fine form, winning four of their last five matches and not conceding a goal since mid-March. Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen, their star players, were capable of turning a game in an instant.
It was evident that even a slight drop in performance levels against Liverpool could jeopardize Arsenal’s quest to finish the season unbeaten.
Within five minutes, a momentary lapse in concentration threatened to do just that.
If Thierry Henry had not been on the pitch, it might well have happened.
Fortunately, he was, and 25 minutes later, he restored parity. The exceptional forward exploited space behind the backline, skillfully controlling a chipped through ball from Robert Pires before side-footing into the side-netting.
1-1.
Despite Henry’s heroics, another defensive lapse before half-time allowed Liverpool to take the lead once again. Gerrard and Owen combined to exploit Arsenal’s seemingly lethargic backline, making it 2-1.
Disaster. Again.
However, Arsenal emerged with renewed vigor at the start of the second half. Within a few minutes, a move initiated by Henry led to Pires leveling the scores.
Sixty seconds later, Henry achieved a remarkable 3-2 lead in stunning fashion.
Receiving the ball 40 yards away from the goal with 11 Liverpool players in his path, the 38,119 fans in attendance rose in anticipation. They fully expected their star player to find a way to score, and he delivered.
Henry swiftly maneuvered past Dietmar Hamann before facing Jamie Carragher and Igor Biscan on the edge of the box. A deft side-step to the left sent the duo crashing into each other, allowing Henry to race into the left side of the box. In classic Henry style, he opened up his body and beautifully curled the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
3-2.
Game over.
Arsenal’s superstar capped off a remarkable performance with a third goal late in the game, one of the 30 he scored during the 2003/04 season, inspiring his team to an unbeaten Premier League title-winning season.
What makes this performance from Henry so special is its familiarity throughout his eight years at Arsenal. Unlike epiphanic moments such as Andriy Arshavin’s four goals at Anfield or Maynor Figueroa scoring from the half-way line against Stoke City, or Sebastian Coates netting an overhead kick against QPR, Henry’s hat-trick was quintessentially Henry.
Growing up watching ITV’s “The Premiership,” it felt like every Saturday night featured Henry doing something seemingly impossible. In this particular week in April, that ‘something’ was this hat-trick.
A few weeks later, that ‘something’ was four goals against Newcastle United.
A few weeks after that, that ‘something’ was lifting the Premier League title as the leader of a team that had gone unbeaten for a full 38-game season.
Consistently remarkable, Henry stands as the greatest player to ever grace the Premier League.