A moment of genius from Steven Gerrard gave Liverpool die narrow-est of advantages in their Champions league quarterfinal tie with Arsenal after a pulsating first leg at the Emirates finished 1-1 on Wednesday.
Headed into the lead by Emmanuel Adebayor mid-way through the first half, Arsenal had the chances to have won here and will long complain after being denied what appeared to be a clear penalty 20 minutes from the end of a second half they overwhelmingly dominated.
But it will be Liverpool who kick off at Anfield next week as marginal favourites to progress to the last four after Gerrard brilliantly set up Dirk Kuyt for the precious away goal that levelled the match three minutes after Adebayor's strike.
"That was really important," said Kuyt, referring to his goal.
"We had a few other little chances and were a bit unlucky not to get another goal," added Kuyt, who also scored for Liverpool in the previous Champions League round against Inter Milan.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was left understandably frustrated.
"I feel we are not paid for what we produced tonight and to finish a game like that 1-1 is disappointing," said the Frenchman, who is yet to win the Champions League.
"But we produced the performance we wanted and we had the chances to win the game. Liverpool created very little tonight and the whole second half was played in their half."
He was left seething too by the decision not to award the penalty
"It was a blatant penalty just under the eyes of the referee. That is a few limes that has happened to us nowand it is very difficult to accept."
However, Kuyt insisted that he had not deliberately fouled 1 ileb.
"It is a split second thing and you have to decide, but I didn't pull his shirt or anything. It was close but it wasn't a penalty."
Wenger's Liverpool counterpart Rafael Benitez praised his side's hardworking performance but summed up in one sentence what would be the crucial factor.
"The away goal is crucial in Europe," said Benitez, who has reserved his best results for European competition.
Opening skirmishes that were far less guarded than anyone had anticipated generated a couple of minor alarms in both goalmouths before Mathieu Flamini produced the match's first moment of real quality.
From the centre circle, the Frenchman's forward chip fell invitingly for Robin van Persic in between Liverpool's back-pedalling centrebacks and Jose Reina but the Dutchman's attempt at a volleyed finish comfortably cleared the Liverpool goalkeeper's bar.
Reina was forced to make a save from van Persie a minute later, after neat build-up work by Cesc Fabregas and Adebayor, and it was from the resulting corner that Arsenal claimed the lead.
After a quick tap to Fabregas, van Persie's delivery was a straightforward inswinger to the edge of the six-yard box. But with Reina rooted to his line and the Liverpool centrebacks missing in action, Adebayor was able to nod his side into the lead.
Sami Hyypia in particular will
not enjoy watching the replays. The Finn was conspicuously static as Adebayor rose unchallenged in front of him.
The home side's celebrations were quickly curtailed however by the brilliant improvisation of Gerrard at the end of a counterattack that the Liverpool captain had launched himself.
The move appeared to be running out of steam when Ryan Babel over ran the ball on the left of the box. Fortunately for Liverpool, it trundled into the path of Fernando Torres and the Spaniard’s lay-off gave Gerrard the platform to work his magic through the inside-left channel.
Emmanuel Eboue bought a dummy, Kolo Toure was sidestepped and Flamini was left trailing before the Liverpool captain cut the ball back across goal for Kuyt to bundle the equaliser over the line from close range.
Manuel Almunia did well to deny Kuyt a second goal in the opening minute of the second half after the Dutchman had latched on to a Martin Skrtel knockdown.
Understandably wary of travelling to Anfield without a lead, Arsenal began to turn the screw and, after Skrtel had cleared Adebayor's hooked shot off the line, the Londoners were unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty when Hleb appeared to be manhandled by Kuyt as he wriggled into space deep in the box.
Arsenal's frustration was understandable but it was only to be exacerbated as Fabregas fired a 20-yard effort then prodded an Adebayor cross goalwards only to see his own teammate, substitute Nicklas Bendtner, block the ball on the Liverpool goalline in a near comical moment that pretty much summed up the Gunner's night.