Arsenal put big dent in Anfield title challenge

The smile Sir Alex Ferguson no doubt raised once the final whistle sounded at Anfield may today be replaced with a look of increasing concern as he reflects on Arsenal's devastating display of attacking intent in the face of considerable adversity.

This was a team shorn of its two most potent attacking weapons in Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie yet still managed to score four times against a team who had hitherto only conceded eight in 16 home League games.

True, their defending was also shambolic - which will have Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo licking their lips in anticipation - but the mental strength and free-flowing abandon with which the Gunners played in the face of an opponent with much more at stake left a feeling this side could handle anything Old Trafford can throw at them in next week's Champions League semi-final, first leg.

"I believe it was a game of frenetic pace and top quality," said manager Arsene Wenger. "Both teams created many chances and you can see when you play on a good pitch you can play good football in the Premier League.

"I never doubted the character of my players - the fact they came into the dressing room very disappointed says a lot about their character.

"Lukasz Fabianski was fantastic in the first half but struggled a bit more in the second because we were less dominant from crosses. But overall he had a good performance.

"My big regret is that 10 minutes into the second half we were 2-1 down but not from something created by Liverpool but because of balls we didn't clear properly from the back."

Cesc Fabregas is right to claim Arsenal must defend better than this and there were signs of fragility in the whole of the rearguard, not just stand-in trio Fabianski, Kieran Gibbs and Mikael Silvestre.

Andrey Arshavin had put the visitors in the lead at half-time but Bacary Sagna shanked a clearance four minutes after the interval to allow Dirk Kuyt the chance to cross for Fernando Torres to head past Fabianski.

The Polish goalkeeper, Silvestre and Gibbs then tried to play their way out of trouble to gift Kuyt another chance to cross, this time for Yossi Benayoun to force the ball over the line.

Defending that shoddy will be punished by Middlesbrough at Emirates Stadium on Sunday let alone United next week, but while Anfield rocked, Arsenal composed themselves in a most mature way before Arshavin took advantage of Alvaro Arbeloa's mistake to smash a superb shot past Pepe Reina.

They then had the audacity to take the lead as a combination of pace and movement wreaked havoc with Rafa Benitez's side - this time Fabio Aurelio made the error as the Russian netted his hat-trick.

Torres, an industrious livewire throughout, equalised but substitute Theo Walcott echoed his blistering run in last season's Champions League quarter-final defeat here to set up Arshavin for his fourth before Benayoun grabbed his injury-time equaliser.

"We are half happy because we scored four goals and half unhappy because we conceded four," Wenger said.

"Also, 4-3 up with two minutes to go the team is disappointed to draw but I give credit to them for a great performance."

Arshavin put in the best display by an Arsenal player at Anfield since Julio Baptista scored four in the 6-3 Carling Cup, quarter-final victory in January 2007.

The Gunners boss paid tribute to his £15million January signing from Zenit St Petersburg and said: "He can play everywhere, like all the great players.

"He scored four goals but he was at the end of some good combination play. He has a lot of tricks and a short backlift and that makes him very dangerous."