Sol Campbell's late goal helped Arsenal to a hard-fought 1-0 win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
The Gunners defender popped up 15 minutes time to secure a precious three points for Arsene Wenger's men that helps them close the gap on leaders Chelsea to five points and climb back up to second place.
Arsenal began brightly and Patrick Vieira had a sight of goal on 12 minutes when Robert Pires' corner fell nicely to him inside the box, but he fired his shot well over the crossbar.
The visitors continued to call the tune early on and Linvoy Primus got in a vital block to deny Henry's pass getting to Robin van Persie in front of goal after a mistake by Arjan de Zeeuw.
Henry then saw his shot on 23 minutes comfortably saved by Jamie Ashdown after a neat intricate move involving Mathieu Flamini and van Persie.
Van Persie missed a great chance to break the deadlock on the half hour mark when Henry picked him out unmarked 12 yards from goal with a clever pass, but the Dutchman got under his shot - flashing it over the top.
A minute later Henry almost worked a way through on goal with Vieira, but Ashdown was quickly off his line to save at the Frenchman's feet.
Tresor Lomana Lua Lua had a half chance for Portsmouth three minutes later when he cut inside Flamini and fired a shot just wide of the target.
Portsmouth created the best chance of the first half two minutes later when Steve Stone sent Gary O'Neil scampering clear on goal and the young midfielder superbly shrugged off the attentions of Kolo Toure before dragging his shot just inches wide of the target with Manuel Almunia well beaten.
The impressive Henry created a chance for himself out of nothing two minutes before the break wide on the left and was unlucky with a shot which flashed just wide of the far post.
Portsmouth had a golden opportunity to take the lead a minute before the interval when Lua Lua cleverly played Ricardo Fuller in on goal, but Toure did brilliantly to get back and divert the striker's shot wide of the target.
Fuller fluffed another great opening three minutes after the restart when Patrik Berger picked him out unmarked inside the box, but the Jamaican's touch let him down and with Arsenal getting players back the chance was gone.
It took Arsenal twelve minutes to fashion their first chance of the second half when Henry picked up a loose ball from Amdy Faye and played in strike partner van Persie who saw his shot with his weaker right foot easily collected by Ashdown.
Portsmouth were beginning to assert themselves in the contest and Berger called Almunia into the action on 69 minutes with stinging shot from an acute angle which the Spaniard could only palm out.
Arsenal broke the deadlock 15 minutes from time against the run of play and from an unlikely goalscorer in the shape of Campbell.
The England international collected a pass from Vieira just inside the Portsmouth half and with the home defence standing off him he ran unchallenged towards goal before drilling an unstoppable shot past Ashdown.
Flamini went close three minutes later with a glancing header from Henry's free kick just flashing wide of the target.
Pompey refused to lie down and Stone fired in a bouncing shot which Almunia did well to keep out.
Arsenal were happy to try and hit Portsmouth on the break and on one such occasion four minutes from time Pires escaped the attentions of the home defence before passing for substitute Dennis Bergkamp who spooned his shot wide of goal.
As time ran out Berger tried his luck from 30 yards with a powerful shot which Almunia comfortably saved.
Ashdown denied Bergkamp a second goal in the dying seconds with a fine save at full stretch
