Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of this afternoon's Premier League encounter between Liverpool and Arsenal.
The game will be seen by both as crucial in terms of making a push for the fourth and final Champions League spot.
Arsene Wenger's Gunners currently occupy the vital place while Liverpool, who have a game in-hand, are seven points adrift in seventh and desperately need three points today.
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For a more condensed version of this afternoon's events, read our report here.
FULL-TIME: Liverpool can offer nothing and Mark Halsey brings the game to an end. Huge win for Arsenal who cement their position in fourth place. They really didn't deserve it and it's yet another disappointing result for the Reds in front of their own fans. The Champions League is surely an unrealistic possibility for Dalglish's men while Van Persie will again write the headlines for his sublime coolness in front of goal.
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90+7 min: Almost three for Arsenal as Van Persie sets up Oxlade-Chamberlain, who carves his shot just wide of the left post.
90+4 min: Liverpool push men forward and Arsenal counter through left-back Gibbs but his effort with a weaker right foot is tame. What can Liverpool do? The answer is Andy Carroll who replaces Jay Spearing. Route-one footy here we come!
90+2 min: GOAL! Van Persie again! 2-1 Arsenal!
What a player this guy is. Song lifts a delicious through ball to the Dutchman who sidefoots a first-time volley past Reina at the near post. Wonderful from RVP and the Gunners are somehow ahead in a game where they really should be behind.
90 min: Fourth official Lee Mason indicates eight minutes of stoppage time.
89 min: An irate Dirk Kuyt remonstrates with the linesman after being given offside. No miracle lip readers needed for what the Dutchman was screaming there.
88 min: Finally a change for Liverpool as Craig Bellamy replaces Stewart Downing. Not long left for either side to snatch a winner.
83 min: Liverpool have had 13 corners, Arsenal - none. A stat that reflects the dominance the Reds have had.
81 min: Strange decision by Wenger who takes off substitute Abou Diaby for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Surely Diaby is injured? Still no changes from Kenny as we near the end.
79 min: Chance for Walcott as Rosicky clips in to the unmarked winger who can only flick his backwards header into the gloves of Reina. Just over ten minutes left but there'll be plenty of stoppage time because of Arteta's injury.
77 min: Liverpool have been excellent pressing the Arsenal midfield and they are certainly the side who look more likely to grab three points. Downing tries to make up for his poor cross earlier but drags his 20-yard volley wide.
75 min: That's lazy from Downing who advances down the left and only has to square for the unmarked Suarez but finds Szczesny with his centre.
74 min: First tactical change of the game as the mainly unnoticeable Benayoun is replaced by Gervinho for the Gunners.
71 min: Stunning stuff from Pepe Reina. Song finds Gibbs in the area and he cuts back to Walcott whose low effort deflects wickedly, only for Reina to deny an Arsenal goal with his legs. Excellent improvisation from the Liverpool stopper.
69 min: Downing skips past Song and the home side have a free kick in a very dangerous position right of the area. Adam's delivery is awful though, failing to beat first-man Van Persie. After some sustained pressure Kuyt puts across an excellent cross and Kelly misses an open goal from about three yards. A defender's finish if ever I've seen one.
67 min: Arteta will go to a hospital for a precautionary check. The Spaniard is reportedly doing okay though.
66 min: Sagna's throw finds Rosicky in the area and the Czech digs out a cross which Carragher almost heads into his own net.
65 min: Adam cynically scythes down Benayoun who was looking to breakaway. No card for the Scot though.
63 min: First caution of the affair as Vermaelen comes through the back of Suarez, who, in true style, tumbles overzealously.
61 min: Good work from Suarez down the left results in a corner which is too long from Downing but Henderson's redelivery is better. Skrtel climbs highest to win the header but Martin Kelly can't quite reach the knockdown. In parrying clear Szczesny took out Vermaelen who seemed to tweak his back. The Belgian is back on the field though and seems fine.
59 min: Rosicky fizzes a through ball to Walcott whose first touch is good enough but his second isn't, slicing wide of Reina's goal. Arsenal fans must wish the Englishman could regularly finish as well as he did against Spurs last week.
55 min: Sky Sports reporter Geoff Shreeves says that Arteta took a blow to the jaw and is suffering from severe concussion. Not very pleasant.
54 min: Diaby almost makes an instant impact as he drills low with his left but Reina is equal to it.
52 min: Still no movement from Arteta and Abou Diaby is stripped and ready to come on. Players from both sides are watching on with worry as the playmaker is treated. He finally leaves the field on a stretcher with an oxygen mask strapped to his face.
48 min: Injury worry for Arsenal as Henderson clatters into Arteta from the side. An innocuous enough looking off-the-ball incident but the paramedics are on and it looks like the Spaniard won't be able to continue.
46 min: No changes for either side as the second 45 gets underway. Suarez is freed down the right but has no support in the area and can only find the side netting with his effort. Bright start from the Reds.
HALF-TIME: A great half of football. Liverpool have definitely been the better side but they've missed a penalty and hit the woodwork twice. The Reds have struck the upright on 21 occasions in the league this season! Will Wenger change tack and bring on the likes of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gervinho? Benayoun has been barely noticeable thus far.
45+2: Liverpool hit the post again! This time it's Kuyt who gets in ahead of his marker and reaches Adam's cross with an outstretched right leg. The ball dribbles across the goal but finds the far post.
45 min: Two minutes of stoppage time added at the end of the opening 45.
44 min: Walcott almost finds Van Persie at the back post but Carragher this time gets the better of the Dutchman and shepherd's the ball out.
40 min: Brilliant stuff from Suarez who almost scores one of the goals of the season. The little Uruguayan receives the ball on the edge and intricately dances inside and out most of the Arsenal defence before poking low. The equally impressive Szczesny again thwarts the Reds with an excellent save. Fine play all round.
37 min: Spearing is lucky to not be penalised for a foul, and possibly a booking for an ugly challenge on Rosicky. Little action since Van Persie's equaliser as we near the interval.
31 min: GOAL! Guess who? Van Persie equalises!
Out of nowhere, Arsenal are level. Sagna finds a bit of space on the right and swings over a delicious delivery. Van Persie gets in ahead of Carragher and heads home from inside the six-yard box. That's 30 goals for the season in all competitions. Fair play.
28 min: The game has settled back down after that frantic five minutes or so. Koscielny's 'oggy' was Arsenal's fifth of the season, no other side has scored more than two. Oopsy!
25 min: Should be two as Suarez smacks the post! The home side are again too quick for the Gunners defence and Kuyt cleverly sets up Henderson. His shot is parried by Szczesny but the rebound falls to Suarez who can only rattle the near post.
23 min: GOAL! Koscielny OG puts Liverpool one-up!
Oh dear oh dear Laurent Koscielny! Liverpool break clear and Downing frees Henderson down the right. The Englishman's cross should be easily dealt with by the Frenchman but he swipes wildly and Szczesny can do nothing this time as the ball flies in at the near post. Deserved lead for the Reds.
19 min: Missed by Kuyt!
Suarez tumbles in the area and Halsey points to the spot. It was a little theatrical but probably the right call. The usually reliable Kuyt steps up but his kick is weak and saved by Szczesny. The rebound falls to the Dutchman and he should prod home but again he miscues and the Polish stopper springs to his left and pushes out again! Brilliant stuff from the Arsenal keeper.
18 min: PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!
17 min: Very little shown so far from last week's Arsenal heroes Van Persie, Walcott and Rosicky, aside from the early Walcott effort. Liverpool definitely the aggressor at the moment.
15 min: This time it's Downing who breaks clear of the Gunners defence but Sagna superbly nicks the ball off the Englishman just as he was about to pull the trigger.
14 min: Suarez dispossesses Song and suddenly there's a two-on-one situation. Suarez's pass to Henderson is weak though and the visitors recover from what should have surely been a clear opportunity.
10 min: Szczesny leaves his area to head away from Suarez's toe but the ball falls straight to Downing. Unfortunately for Liverpool, the ball sits up on the winger's not-so-reliable right foot and his effort is poor. Up the other end, Sagna tries to do even worse by slicing his shot out for a throw-in.
9 min: Tropical weather conditions at Anfield as the Sun bursts out of the clouds. Much better.
8 min: First big chance of the game as Arteta's searching ball finds Walcott, whose volley is well parried low to his right by Reina.
6 min: Arsenal have their first sustained spell of possession but Arteta's cross is easy for Reina to gather.
3 min: Suarez, whose hair looks slicker than ever, earns another corner but Martin Kelly can't turn his header goalwards.
1 min: Early corner for the home side as Vermaelen prevents Stewart Downing getting in. Arsenal head the resulting delivery away.
1 min: It's pouring down on Merseyside as Arsenal get us underway.
0 min: So, Liverpool's talisman Steven Gerrard doesn't make it but still gets to parade the Carling Cup in front of the Anfield faithful. Arsenal's key man RVP is fit however and you wouldn't bet against the Dutchman notching his 24th league goal of the season.
Pascal Lemesre
