France international Henry stepped up to the spot to cheekily chip the ball past United keeper Shay Given in the 79th minute after Newcastle's Jermaine Jenas had handled the ball as he jumped early to head it away.

With United still looking for their first league win of the season, Jenas will be one of their players to feel most aggrieved, the midfielder having failed to mark Gilberto seconds before the Brazilian headed Arsenal into the lead in the second half.

Despite a late rally from Newcastle in the second half, with Frenchman Olivier Bernard providing a spectacular equaliser to Gilberto's bullet header, Arsenal always looked the better side.

However the match left manager Arsene Wenger with a selection nightmare for Tuesday's Champions League match away to Lokomotiv Moscow after three players, including midfielder and captain Patrick Vieira, had to come off due to injury.

The Gunners, still reeling from the media hype which came out of their scrap with Manchester United last weekend, showed none of the characteristics which led to the club facing Football Association charges and possible fines.

Indeed manager Arsene Wenger admitted the players had been "shocked" by the media backlash but applauded the toughness of his players.

"We played really well but they always came back at us. The players showed great spirit after being in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons this week," Wenger told Sky Sports.

"We were shocked (by the backlash) - but they're tough players and they showed they know how to respond."

Wenger however admitted he may have trouble putting a first class team together for Tuesday.

"It looks like we've lost (Fredrik) Ljungberg and Ashley Cole and possibly Patrick (Vieira), who has a muscle strain. We'll have to wait and see for Patrick."

Newcastle manager Bobby Robson, who has now seen his side go six games without a win, could only lament the outcome of the match - the timing of which was affected by their 5-0 rout of Dutch side Breda in midweek.

"It's unbelievable to think that they're at the top of the league and we're at the bottom," said Robson, whose side remain in 19th place.

"We've really only had one day to prepare for this match and they've had six. It was a cruel night, but we held on well, the legs were good and we were unlucky on the goals.

"It's been a really difficult night for us."

After dominating the rain-soaked early period Arsenal opened the scoring after a cross from the right by Bisan Lauren left Newcastle's Titus Bramble with what looked like an easy clearance.

However the defender missed his first time swipe and Henry, at the back post, simply tapped the ball past Given.

Vieira was then forced off with a thigh strain and Brazilian Edu came on in his place.

Two minutes later United equalised after a scrappy push forward that left Frenchman Laurent Robert with the easiest of tap-ins past Jens Lehmann after Kieron Dyer had done all the work.

Arsenal fought back and Ljungberg, who went off for the last 20 minutes of the match with an ankle injury was unlucky not to get his head to an inviting cross from Lauren on the right.

Arsenal started the second half as they did the first waiting only four minutes before almost increasing their lead.

Ljungberg jumped onto a ball put through by Wiltord and as Given ran out the Swede chipped a delightful lob goalwards only to see it come off the post.

Arsenal underlined their intentions with Wenger bringing on Robert Pires for fans' favourite Ray Parlour only minutes after Arsenal defender Ashley Cole was substituted for Frenchman Pascal Cygan.

The hosts second goal of the match came after Newcastle's feisty winger Robert received a yellow card for a tackle from behind on Ljungberg.

The resultant freekick had the Newcastle defence in a panic, and Jenas in particular, the midfielder losing Gilberto who ran in to beat Given with a close-in header six minutes after the hour mark.

Newcastle battled back however and only minutes later had levelled again after a through ball from Jenas down the left handed Frenchman Bernard a rare shot on goal despite the close attention of Arsenal captain Martin Keown.

Bernard's first-time shot from only eight yards out seared past Lehmann and smashed into the Gunners' net.

Newcastle came alive briefly, with Alan Shearer, still searching for his 250th League goal, sending in an inviting cross for Craig Bellamy.

However five minutes later Jenas' hand ball left the referee no option but to point to the penalty spot.

Henry, who missed the last penalty he took, simply chipped the ball straight at Given, who dived to his left, and into the net.