Skrtel powers in late equaliser

December 22, 2014 03:12 am | Updated 03:12 am IST - LONDON:

Martin Skrtel's late intervention spared Liverpool another home defeat.

Martin Skrtel's late intervention spared Liverpool another home defeat.

A stoppage-time goal by a heavily-bandaged Martin Skrtel spared Liverpool another deflating defeat as it drew 2-2 at home to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

Inferior for most of the match, Arsenal had led with goals from Mathieu Debuchy and Olivier Giroud after Philippe Coutinho had put the host deservedly ahead. However, Skrtel, who required six minutes of treatment on a head wound, thundered in a late header from Steven Gerrard’s corner to deny Arsenal.

Despite failing to secure all three points, Arsenal moved back into sixth spot with 27 points from 17 games, four behind fourth-placed West Ham United. While Arsenal has now lost just once in its last seven meetings with Liverpool, Sunderland has won four in a row against north-east rival Newcastle United, after Adam Johnson’s late goal earned it a 1-0 win in the day’s other fixture.

Liverpool completely dominated the opening half with some attractive passing.

When Coutinho finally punished a sloppy Arsenal after 45 minutes, it was the least it deserved. But the defensive gremlins that have also undermined Liverpool’s season, returned immediately as Debuchy headed an unlikely equaliser in first-half stoppage time.

Giroud struck what looked like being the winner after a slick Arsenal counter-attack in the 64th minute. Liverpool had substitute Fabio Borini sent off shortly after coming on and its cause looked lost until Skrtel’s late intervention earned it a point to move it above Merseyside rival Everton into 10th place.

The results: Liverpool 2 (Coutinho 45, Skrtel 90+7) drew with Arsenal 2 (Debuchy 45+2, Giroud 64).

Newcastle United 0 lost to Sunderland 1 (Johnson 90).

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