Jose Antonio Reyes witnessed the good, bad and the ugly of English football on his debut as Arsenal battled their way back to the top of the Barclaycard Premiership table amid considerable controversy at Highbury.

The good was an exquisite 20-yard strike by Thierry Henry which confirmed the Gunners' victory against a spirited Manchester City side.

The bad was the own goal by Michael Tarnat which put Arsenal ahead, albeit with the visitors left aggrieved as they claimed they should have been awarded a free-kick before the Gunners broke clear.

The ugly, however, came late on and will sadly take the spotlight away from Henry's superb strike.

After Nicolas Anelka had pulled a goal back against his former club, he was involved in an angry scuffle with Ashley Cole and Edu.

While television replays appeared to indicate Cole may have lashed out, it was Anelka who was shown the red card for pushing the Arsenal full-back in the face.

Edu also escaped serious punishment from referee Alan Wiley as Arsenal held on for the narrow win which moves them back above Manchester United.

Reyes' introduction to English football had come as a substitute amid virtual monsoon conditions on a dank February afternoon requiring guts rather than guile.

However, this was primarily the sort of rain-soaked day on which Arsenal relied on the strength of inspirational figures such as Sol Campbell and Ray Parlour, who was deputising for Patrick Vieira.

They held the Gunners together against a spirited City side, with young midfielder Joey Barton particularly impressing and Anelka always offering a threat against his former club.

Arsenal were almost ahead early on when Lauren's cutback reached Henry but the Frenchman was at full stretch as he uncharacteristically stabbed his shot against the post.

City were otherwise competing well in midfield, although Anelka ensured his former club could not relax and his snap-shot provoked Jens Lehmann into a smart save.

Arsenal were, meanwhile, playing far too many long balls hopefully into space for Henry to chase onto.

However, they did finally make the breakthrough seven minutes before half-time, albeit amid the first whiff of controversy.

City were still appealing for a free-kick on Anelka after he collided with Gilberto Silva, when Parlour fed Dennis Bergkamp and his flick sent Henry haring towards goal.

The Frenchman's cross was seemingly bound for Fredrik Ljungberg but Tarnat slid in to intercept only to divert the ball past his own keeper.

David James and Lehmann managed to hang onto long-range drives from Bergkamp and Sun Jihai respectively in the increasingly slippery conditions.

But Ljungberg was forced out of the action after 60 minutes after he aggravated a rib injury in a collision.

In such adverse conditions and with the match so delicately poised, Arsene Wenger still decided against introducing Reyes and instead brought on Edu, with Parlour switching to the right flank.

With even the normally immaculate Highbury pitch now sodden, Arsenal were coming under pressure from the visitors, with Lehmann called upon to save headers from Richard Dunne and Sylvain Distin.

But with 21 minutes left, Wenger chose the moment to introduce the young Spaniard in place of Bergkamp.

His first touch was a neat turn but he was denied his first Arsenal goal just nine minutes later by a fine save from James.

The City keeper also foiled Henry, while Arsenal were indebted to Sol Campbell, who produced a superb block on Anelka just as the striker was bearing down on goal.

City again felt aggrieved after Campbell caught Fowler as the former Liverpool man tried to burst through. The loose ball then begun the move for Arsenal's second.

However there was no arguing with the quality of the goal. After a flowing move involving Edu and Pires, Henry unleashed a fearsome shot into the top corner from a tight angle.

There was still time for the most controversial incident of all, however, as Anelka clashed with Cole and Edu after pulling a goal back.

It was too late to prevent Arsenal's victory, however. Welcome to the Premiership, Senor Reyes.

Teams

Arsenal Lehmann, Toure, Campbell, Lauren, Cole, Pires (Cygan 84), Ljungberg (Edu 59), Parlour, Silva, Bergkamp (Reyes 69), Henry.

Subs Not Used: Stack, Bentley.

Booked: Parlour, Cole.

Goals: Tarnat 39 og, Henry 83.

Man City James, Distin, Jihai, Tarnat, Dunne, Reyna (McManaman 76), Barton, Bosvelt (Fowler 76), Sinclair, Wright-Phillips, Anelka.

Subs Not Used: Sibierski, Macken, Arason.

Sent Off: Anelka (90).

Booked: Barton, Sinclair.

Goals: Anelka 89.

Att: 38,103

Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).