Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has claimed that victory over Manchester United will send out a real statement to his former side's Premier League rivals.

The Gunners will move level on points with their opponents should they pick up a win at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon.

A 3-2 loss to Olympiacos in midweek has seen the pressure increase somewhat on Arsene Wenger, and Henry believes that Arsenal need the points today in order to get that potentially costly European defeat firmly out of their system.

"This is the chance for the Gunners to rectify what happened and make a statement to show people they can be a big part of what matters at the top of the league this season," he wrote in his column for The Sun.

"It is a special game. As far as I'm concerned, in terms of the names of the two clubs, it will always be 'the game'. Maybe it isn't so big any more because they're no longer the top two. For the past few years they haven't been competing at the very top.

"But this season they are both fighting for the title and it means this game has gone back to what it was. For me it was such a big game because we were the two teams fighting for the title most of the time. Everyone knew it was about Arsenal or United."

Arsenal have tasted victory just once in their last 13 meetings with Man United in the Premier League.