Liverpool beat off-form Arsenal

An 87th-minute strike by substitute Luis Garcia earned Liverpool a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League last night, bringing them to within three points of second-placed Manchester United.

Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was at his best for Arsenal keeping a surging Liverpool at bay for most of the match and even saving a 32nd-minute penalty from Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

His heroics came to nothing, however, when Dietmar Hamann thundered in a shot from outside the area and the German goalkeeper could only tip it at the feet of Luis Garcia who knocked it home.

Arsenal looked out of sorts and out of form and their defeat drops them 10 points behind Liverpool, who have not finished above the north London side in the Premier League for 10 years.

With 26 games now played by all the leading sides, Chelsea head the table on 66 points, with Manchester United second on 54, Liverpool on 51 and Tottenham Hotspur, in the last Champions League spot, on 45 four clear of Arsenal.