Yellow Fever

Arsenal fans could be forgiven for thinking that referees in Champions League matches have been instructed to throw the book at Thierry Henry.

He collected his first yellow card, allegedly for deliberate handball, in Moscow when he controlled the ball on his chest and swept in a majestic late equaliser against CSKA, which was disallowed by a referee who did not appear to have a clear view of the incident. The second, and the only one which could conceivably be justified, came after a rash challenge in the second minute of the return fixture – a night when CSKA were battered and miraculously escaped with a 0-0 draw. And the hat trick of cautions was completed in the 53rd minute of the game against Hamburg at The Emirates, when the Arsenal captain collided with Joris Mathijsen and subsequently lost in the debate with the over-officious Danish referee Claus Bo Larsen.

So despite the fact that two of the yellow cards were farcical, Henry will miss the crucial away game against a Porto side which defeated CSKA in Moscow. The winners will top the group, a draw will ensure qualification for the knock-out stage and defeat will spell disaster.