Arsenal's Thierry Henry says he is confident he can play in Friday's English premier league game with Liverpool at Highbury despite being written off by his manager Arsene Wenger.

Wenger had said on Wednesday that Henry, who was substituted nine minutes from time during their surprise Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Chelsea the day before, was suffering from a pulled hamstring.

But Henry told Thursday's L'Equipe that, in fact, it was a back disc problem which was pinching a nerve affecting his leg.

He said he would be having a fitness test before the leaders' 1130 GMT kick-off on Friday against fourth-placed Liverpool.

"But I sincerely believe I can play," he told the paper. "I already had the same problem after the World Cup in 1998 for four months with Monaco. It gives me a feeling of stiffness in the leg but the muscles are not affected.

Henry will be hoping his side, unbeaten in the league all season, can bounce back after successive defeats to Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final (1-0) on Sunday and Tuesday's 2-1 reverse to Chelsea.

They lead second-placed Chelsea by four points with a game in hand after 30 matches.

British media speculated on Thursday that the losses would set Wenger's men on a slide which would deprive them for the second year running of the league title.

But Henry insisted: "We have not fought like we have since the start of the season to give up now."