ARSENAL captain Thierry Henry relaunched his team's quest for Europe at the start of a critical week for the club.

Henry was at his irresistible best as Arsene Wenger's team suddenly rediscovered their away form at the expense of poor Fulham. The Arsenal captain scored a goal in each half to take his tally to 22 for the season.

Emmanuel Adebayor and Cesc Fabregas were also on target as Wenger's team boosted their hopes of a topfour finish ahead of Wednesday's Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.

The Gunners arrived at Craven Cottage with the form statistics stacked against them. They had won only two of their last eight away games before yesterday and Fulham's Premiership home record is eight wins from the last nine. Despite that Wenger started with Dennis Bergkamp, Jose Reyes and Cesc Fabregas on the bench ahead of the return clash with Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday It was Arsenal who made the better start, controlling most of the possession during the opening quarter of the game but Fulham were under orders to keep the pressure on their opponents in midfield and give them no time to settle into their passing game.

Thierry Henry had a number of half chances to put his side into the lead but was thwarted again and again by Fulham goalkeeper Tony Warner. However, after 31 ; minutes, the Arsenal captain's persistence paid off.

Abou Diaby's pass found the Frenchman, just inside the box, and Henry turned to face goal as he brought the ball under control. A burst of acceleration then took him clear of Moritz Volz and Henry unleashed a fierce drive into the top of the net.

It beat Warner at the near post but the sheer pace of the shot meant that the keeper had little chance.

Arsenal's second came from the same area of the pitch, four minutes later. This time Freddie Ljungberg slid a clever pass in behind Volz to find Adebayor, who had peeled away to the left Henrystyle. Adebayor applied a clinical first-time finish, with a side-footer past the onrushing Warner. The double blow stunned Fulham who struggled to make it to the break without conceding a third, with Adebayor passing up a great opportunity to end the game as a contest when he was put clean through just before the break.

Fulham were clearly roused by their manager during the interval and came out for the second half with renewed gusto. Eboue cleared a dangerous Volz cross at full stretch, and Jens Lehmann saved from Brian McBride after the American had been released by Steed Malbranque. But Arsenal were always threatening, going forward and Adebayor missed another sitter in the 54th minute. The chance was laid on a plate by Henry. But the Togo star took a touch when he might have hit it first time, and then rolled his shot wide. Warner continued his amazing performance by saving from Ljungberg but he was beaten again in the 77th minute by Henry. Ljungberg supplied his captain and Henry calmly finished his 22nd goal of the season in all competitions.

Fulham fans stood to applaud Henry from the field when he was replaced by Jose Antonio Reyes six minutes from time. And substitute Cesc Fabregas made it four in the closing minutes after good work on the left by Mathieu Flamini. All in all a great day's work for Arsenal which can only help thier confidence ahead of the titanic clash with Madrid.