While Emmanuel Adebayor's red card caused a shift in the balance of yesterday's encounter, Arsenal had already lost a significant degree of momentum due to Cesc Fabregas's enforced withdrawal at half-time.

The Gunners captain will be out for up to three weeks with medial knee ligament damage suffered just before the break in a crunching tackle with Xabi Alonso.

Abou Diaby replaced the 21-year-old and, for all the Frenchman's battling qualities, neither he, Alex Song or Denilson can make Arsenal tick as Fabregas so often does.

Liverpool started the second-half much better than the hosts with strikers Robin van Persie and Adebayor becoming isolated.

Although Van Persie is often superb at linking midfield and attack, Fabregas's departure highlighted there is no one else with an eye for a quick, sharp pass that is the very essence of Arsenal's fluid style.

Manager Arsene Wenger said: "It is difficult to assess. It could be one week or three weeks, I don't know. Of course it is a blow."

Fabregas's absence may now underline the importance of Arsenal securing the services of a playmaker in the mould of Zenit St Petersburg's Andrei Arshavin, who was linked with a move to the Emirates over the weekend, during next month's transfer window.