'Wenger pulls stars out of hat'

Thierry Henry, whose two goals helped Arsenal equal the unbeaten run of 42 top-flight games, today hailed Arsene Wenger's ability to pull brilliant unknown players "out of a magic hat" as a key factor in the club's success.

A 5-3 win over Middlesbrough at Highbury yesterday - achieved without top stars Patrick Vieira and Sol Campbell - means they can break Nottingham Forest's record if they avoid defeat against Blackburn on Wednesday.

Henry believes Wenger's knack of unearthing gems, citing the parts played this season by 17-year-old Francesc Fabregas and Jose Antonio Reyes, has been crucial to their success.

"The man you have to give credit to is Arsene. It is unbelievable," he said. "He pulled Kolo Toure out of his magic hat and now he's pulled out Fabregas.

"It is not only the way he plays but he looks so mature. He looks like he is controlling the game. It is a long time since I've seen something like that. The guy fits in the team and plays like he has been there a long time."