Arsenal were staring at a formidable task in Germany next week to clinch a place in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup until Fredrik Ljungberg added to Thierry Henry's first-half strike 14 minutes from the end.

However it is still far from a formality yet, despite Henry's high speed, one-man show.

Werder Bremen came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat French side Lyon in the third round and then put out holders Parma last week having lost the first leg 1-0 in Italy.

And although the Gunners comfortably kept only their third clean sheet of the new Millennium in a one-sided contest against dreadfully disappointing opposition, their away form is currently less than encouraging - the last win away from Highbury coming way back on December 4 at Leicester.

Thanks to blistering Henry's power and punch, though, Arsene Wenger's team are still well-placed to reach the last four in a European competition they clearly regard as only a consolation prize for their Champions League failures.

Henry's pace, Patrick Vieira's dominance in midfield and skipper Tony Adams's colossal presence in attack as well as defence enabled Arsenal to boss the first half and they should have been ahead by more than the one goal by half-time.

As early as the eighth minute the Germans were back-pedalling furiously and Vieira's perfect low through-pass put his compatriot in behind Bremen's back-four only to drag his shot across the face of goal from a rapidly-diminishing angle.

But a similar link-up brought the opening goal in the 21st minute - Henry's 15th of the season and his sixth in Europe.

The visitors clearly thought he was offside as he skated into acres of space in pursuit of Vieira's long, lofted ball from well inside his own half and way out on the left touchline.

But the French linesman was well up with the play, waved him on and the striker did not disappoint with a clinical finish beyond the helplessly exposed Frank Rost.

Adams, playing only his second game in 12 after foot and groin injuries, was pushing up for every set-piece and the Germans were at full stretch to dilute a flow of attacks. There seemed no reason why Arsenal should not add significantly to their lead before the break.

But when a Dennis Bergkamp corner swirled over Andreas Herzog and was superbly breasted down by the Gunners captain who then thundered an instant half-volley, keeper Rost distinguished himself with a flying block at his near post.

And four minutes before the break an out-of-touch Ray Parlour hesitated too long when Bergkamp's reverse-ball left him with a glorious opportunity. He put a tame effort wide when he should have registered his first goal of the season.

Henry panicked Bremen again at the start of the second half when mistakes by Frank Baumann and Andrei Wiedener, their two Euro 2000 hopefuls for Germany, helped him spin clear down the right onto passes by Bergkamp and then Parlour.

But first his low cross from the byline skidded across an empty goalmouth and then, in the second advance, it took a quartet of defenders to force him wide from a striking position.

There was still no forward response from Bremen and their Brazilian striker Ailton resorted to an outrageous dive to con the referee and win a free-kick against Adams whose throwaway gesture illustrated his contempt.

But although Arsenal were still charging forward almost at will, time was drifting away and the expected sharpness of a back-to-form Bergkamp was not yet materialising in the search for the necessary cushion of a second goal.

It was no surprise when Wenger sent on the unpredictable and sometimes magical Kanu to replace the Dutch striker and wing wizard Marc Overmars in place of Parlour with 23 minutes left.

Kanu's influence was immediate as he lifted a night that was in danger of going flat. His pass set up Henry for an 18-yard drive that bounced away off Rost's legs.

But just when the Germans looked to have got away with the narrowest of first-leg deficits it was a complete mis-hit by the lanky Nigerian that doubled their disadvantage.

He scuffed Overmars' tempting chip into the middle just outside the area and the ball travelled just a few yards forward but straight into the stride of the alert Ljungberg who measured his drive past the goalkeeper.

Teams:

Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Adams, Luzhny, Silvinho, Parlour (Overmars 67), Vieira, Grimandi, Ljungberg, Bergkamp (Kanu 67), Henry (Suker 77).

Subs Not Used: Winterburn, Keown, Manninger, Malz.

Goals: Henry 21, Ljungberg 77.

Werder Bremen: Rost, Tjikuzu, Baumann, Ailton (Schierenbeck 83), Wiedener , Eilts, Frings, Dabrowski, Herzog, Barten, Bode.

Subs Not Used: Flock, Maximow, Trares, Bogdanovic, Brasas, Skripnik.

Booked: Herzog.

Att: 38,009

Ref: C Colombo (France).