Jeffers row fails to trip Arsenal

"They came for the draw and they got what they wanted," said Wenger.

With just three points from the last eight games, Liverpool really needed to rediscover winning ways. I think any realistic hope they had of usurping Arsenal as Premiership champions ended at Highbury yesterday.

Liverpool are now nine points behind the leaders while Chelsea, proudly sharing second place with Manchester United, are just five points behind. But, having dropped seven points in their last four games, Chelsea too need to win at Highbury on New Year's Day to maintain their title hopes.

If he was looking for clues, Chelsea coach Claudio Ranieri will have found what he wanted.

Liverpool demonstrated to him the value of a suffocating midfield strategy. It wasn't pretty to watch, but on a wet, blustery afternoon Arsenal's superior technique failed to break down Liverpool's defiant game plan.

Ranieri might also mention to his players the dangers of heavyhanding Jeffers, whose sudden collapse provided Thierry Henry with Arsenal's face-saving penalty equaliser 11 minutes from time.

Wenger said: "It's a massive game for us. I expect Chelsea to attack us more than Liverpool did.

"It'll be a more open game and after just losing two points it's a match we want to win."

Sir Alex Ferguson's United team, of course, must still be considered the most potent threat to Arsenal's defence of the title, although at the moment the champions are in control of their own destiny.

Wenger said: "We still have 17 games to play. It's a long way and I think there is still a lot for us to do."

Certainly Arsenal cannot afford to squander the opportunities that fell to them yesterday.

They dominated the first half, but after 45 minutes had nothing to show for their possession and pressure.

The Liverpool defence were in a permanent state of panic and when Michael Owen, an isolated figure at the front, retired hurt, it seemed only a matter of time before Arsenal's broke the deadlock.

Instead, it was Liverpool who took a 70th-minute lead when referee Jeff Winter was advised by his assistant that Sol Campbell's tackle on Milan Baros was executed without the Arsenal defender touching the ball.

Winter awarded Liverpool a penalty and Danny Murphy drove his shot beyond the grasp of David Seaman. They were indeed, but in the end, they could have won and, the penalty incident apart, would have deserved all three points.

A fine passing movement involving Dennis Bergkamp and Ashley Cole presented Gilberto Silva with an open goal in injury time, but inexplicably, he side-footed his closerange shot past the post.

Wenger was relieved they came from behind to salvage a draw, but in truth, this was two points dropped.

"We'll see what it means at the end of the season," said Houllier. "It's not finished yet."

He's right, of course. Arsenal - who will be without Ray Parlour (calf injury), Freddie Ljungberg (chest infection) and Pascal Cygan - will not want to drop any more points on Wednesday.