Premier League leader Liverpool was frustrated to be held to a 1-1 draw by Arsenal yesterday despite enjoying a man advantage for 30 minutes after Emmanuel Adebayor was sent off plus Robbie Keane ending a six-week goal drought.
Now, the 18-time champions must rely on crosstown rival Everton stopping Chelsea from wiping out their two-point lead and reclaiming top spot on Monday.
Keane scored in the 42nd minute with a fierce half-volley that canceled out Robin van Persie's equally elegant strike in the 24th.
Keane, who has already been linked with a transfer away from the Reds, hopes his sixth goal since joining Liverpool from Tottenham in the offseason will end the scrutiny that his 19 million pound (then US$38 million) fee has produced.
"You are always judged on goals and not what you do with anything else," he said. "People outside the club have said a few things and created something that isn't there, which is a little bit disappointing.
"No one is really frustrated. I will score a lot of goals for this club and it was nice to get one today. There will be a lot more to come, I prefer to get judged at the end of the season and not in December."
The Ireland striker cupped his ear to the Emirates Stadium crowd, which had taunted him with chants of, "What a waste of money." But the moment of brilliance proved to be just that -- an isolated moment -- with Keane adding little more as Liverpool bids for a first league title since 1990.
"Robbie has been fantastic," assistant manager Sammy Lee said. "He'll keep on working to try to improve."
Keane's goal did spare manager Rafa Benitez further agony at home, where he recuperated from surgery to remove kidney stones earlier in the week. Benitez was on the phone throughout the match to Lee and the coaching staff.
"The phone bill will be quite big," Lee said. "With technology being what it is today, he was in total command of the game and that's all credit to him. It speaks volumes about his professionalism.
"He was pleased with the boys and the result. Hopefully, he'll be back as soon as possible because he has a great presence at the club and that is missed when he's not here."
Midfielder Javier Mascherano missed the match due to the flu, joining star striker Fernando Torres and center back Martin Skrtel on the sidelines. That helped Arsenal gain a point which, according to manager Arsene Wenger, keeps them in the title race.
"Mathematically, we will fight until the end," Wenger said, brushing off the eight-point deficit. "I believe Liverpool will drop many points. I am convinced of that.
"They had four draws at home. That means they dropped eight points, why shouldn't they drop eight more in the second half of the season?"
Wenger will be without injured captain Cesc Fabregas and Adebayor, whose dismissal enraged the French manager. The striker was shown a second yellow card by referee Howard Webb for raising his boot at Alvaro Arbeloa.
"It was a joke," Wenger said . "It cost us two points. I don't agree with the referee's decision at all ... he didn't touch him."
Adebayor was more scathing of Arbeloa: "The defender threw himself on the floor as if I put a knife in him."
It was Arsenal that cut through the Liverpool defense for the opener, with Samir Nasri returning from an ankle injury to loft a 35-meter (yard) pass that Van Persie chested down, twisted around two defenders and blasted past Jamie Carragher's sliding challenge to beat goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
Just before the break, Daniel Agger chipped a defense-splitting long ball from the halfway line. Keane squeezed between Johan Djourou and William Gallas to pick up the pass and send a half-volley past goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.
Arsene Wenger lost Fabregas at halftime, with the Spain midfielder injuring knee ligaments in a crunching tackle from Xabi Alonso. Wenger said Fabregas could be out for three weeks.
In a frantic start to the second half, the visitors pressed for a winner with Lucas' strike blocked by Almunia.
Adebayor's dismissal fueled the charged-up atmosphere, with Van Persie also entering Webb's book for tripping Agger, while Nasri was booked for his challenge on Albert Riera.
Liverpool's Carragher and Lucas were also booked, as was Keane, whom Wenger believes should have seen red.
(Agencies via Shanghai Daily December 22, 2008)
