Liverpool, Chelsea through

Liverpool beat Arsenal 4-2 in a classic Champions League battle at Anfield last night to clinch their quarter-final tie 5-3 on aggregate and reach the semi-finals for the third time in four seasons. Their opponents at the end of the month will again be Chelsea who they defeated at the same stage in 2005 and last year.

In a match that will rank among the best played in Europe's elite competition, Liverpool came back from the dead after Arsenal appeared to have clinched the tie on away goals with only six minutes to play.

But Liverpool's indefatigable belief in themselves on European nights at Anfield saw them turn the tie with Steven Gerrard smashing home an 85th minute penalty and substitute Ryan Babel wrapping up a memorable win with a stoppage time goal.

Arsenal took the lead through Abou Diaby after 13 minutes but Liverpool fought back with a header from Sami Hyypia on the half hour and a stunning shot on the turn from Fernando Torres in the 69th to give Liverpool a 2-1 lead on the night and 3-2 on aggregate.

A breakaway by substitute Theo Walcott, which saw him skate past four Liverpool players six minutes from time, set up Emmanuel Adebayor to make it 2-2 - 3-3 on aggregate and Arsenal ahead on away goals.

Liverpool got a lifeline a minute later when Arsenal defender Kolo Toure tripped Babel to concede a penalty and Gerrard, who had not had the best of games, scored to put Liverpool 3-2 ahead.

Babel sealed the win with his stoppage time goal to finally ease the tension at Anfield which was almost unbearable throughout an absorbing, enthralling encounter.

Chelsea reached their fourth Champions League semi-final in five seasons yesterday when goals from Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard gave them a nervy 2-0 win over Fenerbahce. The London side's 3-2 aggregate win set them up for a third semi-final clash in four years with Liverpool.

Avram Grant's side had suffered a surprise 2-1 first-leg defeat in Istanbul a week ago against the first Turkish team to reach the quarter-finals.

They attacked early to put things right and when Ballack rose at the near post to head home in the fourth minute, victory looked straightforward.

Joe Cole hit the post in the eighth minute and Didier Drogba also came close early on but the game then descended into frantic but rather messy midfield action.

Chelsea, without regular Petr Cech, had to rely for most of the match on third-string goalkeeper Henrique Hilario after Carlo Cudicini appeared to pull a hamstring and was substituted in the 25th minute.

Drogba should have put Chelsea further in front two minutes into the second half but his shot was scooped up by goalkeeper Volkan Demirel.

Chelsea remained jittery and Fenerbahce pressed forward.

In a frenzied last 10 minutes, Hilario tipped a shot from Ugur Boral round the post and then saved from Kazim Kazim.

But Lampard finished it off for the London side with three minutes to go when, on the break, Essien rounded two defenders on the right of the area and laid the ball through to the England midfielder who scored from point blank range.