BOLTON referee Mark Halsey defended his decision to allow Thierry Henry to take the quick free-kick which put Arsenal en route to a return to the top of the Barclaycard Premiership.

Henry scored both goals in Sunday's 2-0 win at Aston Villa - converting a penalty awarded for a foul by Olof Mellberg on Kanu to seal the win.

But although it was the manner of the first goal which frustrated Villa's players, fans and manager David O'Leary, Halsey was quick to explain his decision.

He told Sky Sports Premiership Plus soon after the game: "With the free-kick given to Arsenal outside the box for a foul on Patrick Vieira I gave the option to Thierry Henry 'do you want to take it quickly or do you want the wall 10 yards'?

"His reply was 'a quick free-kick'. I stood back and made a quick signal for him to go on and take it - I didn't say to the Aston Villa players move back 10 yards'.

O'Leary described the referee's decision on the first goal as "a joke" and Halsey continued: "I can understand their (Villa's) frustration at conceding a goal that way.

"But I'm under no obligation to inform the Aston Villa players that Henry was going to take a quick free-kick.

"I also gave the option of a quick free-kick to Juan Pablo Angel and he said he wanted 10 yards - so in that case you say wait for the whistle and I'll get them back 10 yards'.

"You are under no obligation to give a whistle for any free-kick."

Henry himself believed there was no problem with the first goal, explaining: "I asked him if I could take the free-kick quickly and he said 'you can' so I did.

"It's happened against us before so I tried my luck today."

O'Leary said: "You could say we were hard done by. The ref told my players to give Arsenal 10 yards and they've gone back. He was on the ball and then gets out of the way and let's Henry take it.

"It was a joke decision in my opinion. That put them one up.

"We did what the ref said and were waiting for a whistle after that. My players said he told them to move back and they waited for the whistle."

O'Leary was equally unhappy about the penalty decision.

"No chance that it was a penalty," he said. "They (Arsenal) know it themselves. At least it's out there and everyone has seen it. It wasn't a penalty - end of story."

O'Leary was also adamant there was nothing in the game. "It hinged on two decisions. They have quality players but today there was nothing in the game but those calls.

"We can take a lot from this into our Carling Cup semi-final against Bolton. We gave a good account of ourselves."

The result means Arsene Wenger's side have still not lost in league play this season.

And Vieira, asked whether he believed Arsenal could remain unbeaten, said: "We know in football anything can happen.

"We believe in ourselves and we want to win every game."

Villa were also unhappy with Halsey's awarded of the penalty and although Halsey would not comment on the award, Vieira had no doubts about the decision.

He added: "It was a penalty - it was a good trick from Kanu.

"We are quite happy with the way we played. Away from home we do what we have to."

Wenger was pleased Halsey allowed the goal to stand, having fallen victim to an Ian Harte goal in similar circumstances against Leeds at Highbury two years ago.

He explained: "It was a strange goal, I must concede that. We conceded a goal like that two years ago against Leeds.

"I do not know what was said by the referee to Thierry. He took a quick decision. Fair or not, good or not, I do not know."

Wenger was asked why his own players stood in front of the ball when Villa were given free-kicks after that goal.

"Because it happened before you know the referee gives that advantage and you want to prevent it so you put men on the ball. The rules need to be clear."

The Highbury chief was convinced Kanu deserved the penalty, however.

"It was a penalty - Kanu was clean through and was irregularly stopped. It is a question of opinion and I have not seen the slow motion."