Lauren and Henry settle spat

A heated exchange of words between Thierry Henry and Lauren at the end of yesterday's game at Highbury was defused by a handshake in the dressing room.

Henry was angry with the Cameroon defender for failing to cross the ball late in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United. Lauren opted to shoot, United goalkeeper Roy Carroll blocked the ball and Henry was restricted to an instinctive header from the rebound instead of a clear shot at goal.

His effort went wide and the Frenchman was clearly upset. He and Lauren were involved in an animated debate as the teams left the field and continued the argument into the tunnel, but it was over by the time they reached the dressing room.

'They shook hands and apologised to each other and that was the end of it,' a source said. 'It was not a major incident. There was no pushing or shoving or anything like that. It was the kind of thing that happens every day on the training ground.'

Patrick Vieira, meanwhile, has pulled out of the French squad for Wednesday's friendly in Holland to rest a sore knee in a bid to make Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United.

Vieira, who passed a fitness test to face United, said: 'My knee is sore and I am going to give it two days' rest. I am hopeful of being fit for Saturday. I just want to recover properly.'