Arsenal's title hopes shattered by Kuyt's late, late penalty

Jim van Wijk

AT The Emirates

Van Persie, pen 90+8

Liverpool1 Kuyt, pen 90+12

Arsenal saw their Barclays Premier League title hopes all but extinguished after Dirk Kuyt secured a point for Liverpool with a last-gasp penalty just moments after Robin van Persie's own spot-kick had looked enough for victory.

The Gunners are now six point points behind leaders Manchester United having played the same number of games and were ultimately punished for not making the most of their territorial advantage and hitting the bar in the first half through Laurent Koscielny.

They were unable to make their dominance count until deep into eight minutes of stoppage time when Van Persie crashed home his spot-kick after Jay Spearing had brought down Cesc Fabregas. However, Liverpool, who had earlier seen captain Jamie Carragher carried off following concussion, snatched a point with the final kick of the match after Emmanuel Eboue had pushed Lucas Leiva.

Arsenal are unbeaten in 14 matches and yet to lose in 2011 but have lost ground in the title race because of too many draws. However, they started well here, with Abou Diaby glancing a header wide from Samir Nasri's curling free-kick, but were careless in possession far too often.

Arsenal's Theo Walcott stung Pepe Reina with a fierce 25-yard drive which the Reds keeper spilled after 12 minutes and Van Persie hooked the loose ball back across an open goal, which was headed behind. From Van Persie's corner, Koscielny got in front of Reina to crash a header against the bar.

Luis Suarez's slip allowed Van Persie and Fabregas to open up the Liverpool defence, but the Arsenal skipper drilled his 20-yard shot wide.

It continued to be one-way traffic with Liverpool defending deep, but Arsenal could not find a telling pass in the final third. In first-half stoppage time, Eboue's angled drive at the near post was deflected across the face of goal and away.

It was again a bright opening by Liverpool after the restart but their impetus was curtailed when first striker Andy Carroll twisted his knee but continued after treatment, then Carragher was carried off on a stretcher, given oxygen with his neck in a brace to be replaced by former Rangers defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

Reina made a decent block when Van Persie was played into the left side of the Liverpool area, before at the other end, Suarez spooned his shot high and wide in space at the near post.

Because of the injury to Carragher, there were some eight minutes of stoppage time leading to the dramatic denouement of the penalties.

The result leaves Arsenal all but out of the title race and left a dejected Arsene Wenger confronting the officials and opposite number Kenny Dalglish as they walked off.

Arsenal: Szczesny, Eboue, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy, Diaby (Song 81), Wilshere (Bendtner 72), Walcott (Arshavin 72), Fabregas, Nasri, van Persie. Subs Not Used: Lehmann, Squillaci, Gibbs, Chamakh.

Liverpool: Reina, Flanagan, Carragher (Kyrgiakos 62), Skrtel, Aurelio (Robinson 21), Kuyt, Spearing, Lucas, Meireles, Suarez, Carroll (Shelvey 70). Subs Not Used: Gulacsi, Cole, Maxi, Ngog.

Referee: Andre Marriner.

Attendance: 60,029