Arsenal [ Images ] suffered a major blow when French striker Thierry Henry [ Images ] was ruled out of Saturday's FA Cup final against Manchester United [ Images ].

Henry, the Premier League's top scorer, had suffered a recurrence of a long-standing Achilles problem, the club said on Monday.

Henry did not feature in Arsenal's final league game against Birmingham City [ Images ] on Sunday which they lost 2-1.

He had played 45 minutes in midweek after returning from a groin injury in the 7-0 thrashing of Everton.

Henry, scorer of 25 league goals, has had an exhausting season. He played every first team game for Arsenal -- excluding the League Cup -- until January when he was rested for the FA Cup third round match with Stoke City [ Images ].

Arsenal have played in three of the last four FA Cup finals but Henry is yet to score in the showpiece occasion.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger [ Images ] is likely to play Jose Antonio Reyes [ Images ] up front in Cardiff with either Dennis Bergkamp or fellow Dutchman Robin van Persie [ Images ].

The Cup final is the last chance for Arsenal and United to win a major trophy after Chelsea [ Images ] won the league title and the League Cup.