Source: Daily_Mail
Arsenal 1 Liverpool 0: Gunners banish the blues as Diaby revives title hopes
This was most certainly not a "demonstration of football" to borrow the phrase used by Arsene Wenger to belittle Chelsea's muscular victory against his team.[LNB]But with points squandered by others at the top of the Barclays Premier League, it was a night when all that mattered to Arsenal was winning.[LNB]Abou Diaby clinched the points, soaring through Liverpool airspace with 18 minutes to play to head in his sixth goal of the season and his goal sparked a frenetic and ill-tempered finish to this tense and nervous tussle.[LNB] Flying finish: Diaby rises to power a header past Reina and snatch victory for Arsenal[LNB]Manuel Almunia, much-maligned goalkeeper for the Gunners, protectedhis team's slender lead, arching his back to tip a dipping drive fromRyan Babel against the bar as the clock ticked down.[LNB]Cesc Fabregas then found himself at the centre of controversy instoppage time when he jumped up on the edge of the penalty area toblock a free-kick from Steven Gerrard with his arm. Nothing was givenby referee Howard Webb.[LNB]'It is a handball and has to be a penalty,' fumed Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez. 'I'm really disappointed with the decision.' [LNB]Fabregas had been booked seconds earlier for disputing Webb'sdecision to blow for a foul after what was an innocuous challenge onDirk Kuyt. Whether it was in the penalty area or not, he could easilyhave been sent off for a second yellow card but neither team was happywith the referee's performance.[LNB]'There were so many incidents he got wrong,' said Fabregas. 'Therewere so many against us, so many against them. Maybe it touched my arm,yes, but I would have got my head to it anyway.'[LNB]Gerrard and his team-mates were still arguing fiercely with Webb asthey left the pitch with Arsenal and their fans celebrating a first winin five games and an unlikely return to the fringes of the title race.[LNB] Race is on: Abou Diaby (centre) celebrates with team-mates Theo Walcott and Cesc Fabregas after his vital strike against Liverpool[LNB] [LNB]Bad feeling had been brewing throughout a tense and nervous night atthe Emirates, when the importance of victory or the cold - or both -suffocated the quality of the football.[LNB]Nicklas Bendtner, guilty of wastefulness in front of goal on hisfirst start since October, was booked for diving in a bid to win apenalty under a challenge from fellow Dane Daniel Agger in the secondhalf.[LNB]And Gerrard had claims for a penalty rejected by Webb but was notshown the yellow card, prompting Arsenal's assistant manager Pat Riceto perform a 'diving' mime for the benefit of the fourth official.[LNB]Wenger, for once, side-stepped the controversy, relieved to winafter one point from three games against direct rivals at the top ofthe table.[LNB]'It was a massive result,' said the Arsenal boss. 'The playersshowed great mental strength against a very disciplined team. Nobodycan imagine how hard it is to play Manchester United, Chelsea andLiverpool on the trot without having time to recover.[LNB]'To now be only six points behind is great but let's be consistentand try to win our next game. We will fight until the last second ofthe season. We believe in our chances. Chelsea lost again and ManUnited dropped points.[LNB] Fall guy: Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner was booked for a dive after going down under a challenge from Daniel Agger[LNB]'It is open to everybody. I don't see a mathematical reason why weshouldn't win it. It can change quickly. But it's more important tofocus on the next games than speak about the title."[LNB]The Gunners lost Samir Nasri with concussion and Andrey Arshavinwith a slight hamstring strain but there was encouragement for fansfrom Fabregas, who re-affirmed his commitment to the club amidspeculation of a return to Barcelona in the summer.[LNB]'They've denied it, I've denied it, I just want to focus onArsenal,' said Fabregas. 'The fans and myself deserve a little bit ofrespect.'[LNB]For Liverpool, who saw Jamie Carragher hobble off with a groininjury, this setback was their first Premier League defeat sincemid-December.[LNB]It may have stopped their momentum but they hang on in fourth placeand refuse to surrender the idea of catching the Gunners to finishthird to qualify automatically for next season's Champions League.[LNB] Wall-y: Gerrard's last-minute free kick strikes the hand of Fabregas but the ref missed it[LNB]'We defended well, had some chances and could have scored at theend," said Benitez. "When you lose after so many games unbeaten, youhave to be disappointed. So now we must thin about the future, aboutthe next games. The race for third position will go to the end.'[LNB]Bendtner missed the best opening of the first half, smashing hisshot over after Andrey Arshavin has threaded a pass through the backfour. William Gallas also headed a decent chance over from a Fabregasfree-kick.[LNB] Pointing the finger: The ref waves away the Liverpool appeals while Fabregas looks the other way[LNB] [LNB]MATCH FACTS Arsenal (4-3-3): Almunia 6; Eboue 5, Gallas 7, Vermaelen 6, Clichy 6; Fabregas 6, Song 6, Diaby 6; Nasri 4 (Rosicky 34min, 6), Bendtner 5(Sagna 81), Arshavin 5 (Walcott 67, 5).Booked: Clichy, Bendtner, Fabregas.[LNB]Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina 6; Carragher 6 (Degen 55,), Skrtel 6, Agger 6, Insua 6; Mascherano 7, Lucas 7 (Babel 78); Kuyt 6, Gerrard 6, Rodriguez 5; Ngog 5.Booked: Degen.[LNB]Man of the match: Javier MascheranoReferee: Howard Webb[LNB]Wenger's team improved the tempo of their passing after the breakand were suddenly more purposeful. Liverpool dropped deeper, invitingArsenal to attack and seeking to pounce on the counter-attack as theplay was stretched, just as Manchester United did so successfully atthe Emirates recently.[LNB]Lucas Leiva exploded out of midfield onto Kuyt's pass run but firedover and David Ngog accelerated clear only for Gallas to make anastonishing sliding tackle as the striker set himself to shoot.[LNB]Bendtner had another effort cleared off the line before playing apart in Diaby's goal. The Dane worked the ball wide to Rosicky whowhipped in a cross and Diaby leapt to head it home.[LNB]It was a beautiful goal to settle and ugly game and revive Arsenal dreams of the title.[LNB] No Arsenal deal for Chamakh but striker admits he's on his way out of BordeauxLiverpool new boy Jovanovic delighted to be joining a European giantFabregas is not joining us, insist Barca amid claims of verbal deal for starARSENAL FC
