Henry out of Tottenham clash

Arsenal striker Thierry Henry will miss today's London derby against Tottenham Hotspur due to a groin-related injury.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed yesterday that the club's record scorer would not be fit to play at White Hart Lane having aggravated an injury that he first sustained in September.

"He will not play," Wenger told reporters at the club's training ground. "All the Tottenham supporters I see they are all laughing and smiling," he joked.

Henry came on as a substitute last week against Sparta Prague scoring twice to overtake Ian Wright as Arsenal's record scorer and also played against Manchester City in the league at the weekend.

"I rushed him under special circumstances," said Wenger.

"In Prague it was planned that he played half an hour if possible and also in the game against Manchester City. But he played 75 minutes in Prague and he played the whole game against City because it was a tight game.

"It was a bit too much for him but he could be back as quickly as next Wednesday," said Wenger, referring to Arsenal's Champions League match at home to Sparta.

"It's a minor setback," Wenger added. "What I didn't want is to risk a bigger setback and force him to play. He could have played if really pushed but there is a little risk and this early in the season it is one we did not want to take."

Third-placed Tottenham have not finished above Arsenal in 10 years and have not won a north London derby since a 2-1 win at White Hart Lane in 1999.

The loss of Henry will be tempered slightly by the return from injury of Freddie Ljungberg in midfield and Spanish striker Jose Antonio Reyes, who will replace Henry up front. In the centre of defence, former Spurs captain Sol Campbell makes his league return after two weeks out.

Arsenal will also be without midfielder Alexander Hleb who is still out with a knee injury and left back Ashley Cole who misses the game after fracturing his right foot.