Liverpool 2 Arsenal 2

Last updated : 29 January 2003 By Footymad Previewer

A last-gasp equaliser from Emile Heskey snatched a point for Liverpool against league leaders Arsenal at Anfield.

The Gunners dominated throughout and with goals from Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp looked set to increase their lead at the top of the Premiership to eight points.

But Gerard Houllier's men never gave up and pulled off an injury-time salvage mission thanks to Heskey.

However The Reds were thankful to go in at half time only one goal down.

The first 45 saw a magnificent display of skill, power and athleticism from Arsenal that is rarely seen in any league in the world.

Watching managers Sir Alex Ferguson and Sven Goran-Eriksson cannot fail to have been impressed.

And the star of the show was the sublime Thierry Henry who was, quite simply, on fire. Time and time again he left the Liverpool defence in his wake as he went on a series of dazzling runs.

In the eighth minute the French star latched on to a super pass from strike partner Bergkamp. Reds keeper Jerzy Dudek pulled off an excellent save, but the rebound fell kindly for the unmarked Pires who slotted home the opener.

Liverpool simply clung on for the remainder of the half as the visitors ran riot. A Patrick Vieira goal was disallowed, Henry hit the sidenetting twice and a header from Sol Campbell was cleared off the line.

The home side had one clear-cut opportunity when a mistake from Campbell let Michael Owen through on goal, but his effort was well saved by David Seaman.

After the break Liverpool began with renewed determination and it paid off within seven minutes.

England international Heskey pulled the ball back for John Arne Riise, who unleashed a rasping shot into the bottom corner of the net for the equaliser.

But just as the Anfield faithful dared to believe they had the measure of the champions, Dutch master Bergkamp popped up with goal number two.

His speculative shot from the edge of the area took a wicked deflection of Reds defender Stephane Henchoz and wrongfooted Dudek.

The Liverpool keeper, in for the injured Chris Kirkland, then kept the margin to a minimum with a string of superb saves.

However, in injury-time Heskey rose above the Arsenal defence to head home and level the match.