Adebayor Sees Red As Keane Takes Liverpool Two Points Clear at Top

Liverpool moved two points clear at the top of the Premier League with a hard-earned draw against 10-man Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. An absorbing contest was punctuated by two marvelous goals — Robin Van Persie's superbly taken strike to give the Gunners an early lead and Robbie Keane's thumping half-volley three minutes before half-time — and Emmanuel Adebayor's sending off midway through the second half.

Sammy Lee took charge in the Liverpool technical area with Rafael Benítez absent due to his ongoing recovery from surgery to remove kidney stones this week. Keane, Lucas Leiva, Emiliano Insua and Daniel Agger came into the visitors' starting XI, while Samir Nasri was restored to the Arsenal line-up after recovering from an ankle injury.

And it was the French winger who created the opening goal. His superb diagonal pass found Van Persie on the edge of the Liverpool area, the Dutchman chested down deftly and turned away from two defenders before firing his shot past Pepe Reina.

The goal seemed to settle Arsenal nerves and Benítez's side offered little threat before getting back on terms just before the interval. Alvaro Arbeloa's punt from deep caught the Arsenal defence napping and Keane scampered through before unleashing an unstoppable half-volley from 15 yards. Moments later Steven Gerrard almost put Liverpool ahead but could only direct his shot over the bar from Dirk Kuyt's cross.

The Arsenal captain Cesc Fábregas hobbled off just before half-time and the loss of their midfield maestro unsettled the home side — certainly, the visitors began the second half as the better team. Arsenal's cause was further hampered by the seding off of Adebayor on 62 minutes. The striker had been booked for a challenge on Insua in the first half and received a second yellow for an innocuous challenge on Arveloa. The Liverpool full-back went down clutching his face as Adebayor attempted to shield the ball, but it was unclear whether the referee Howard Webb adjudged a raised arm or a raised boot to be Arsenal man's misdemeanour.

That added further spice to an already feisty contest and Van Persie, Bakary Sagna, Jamie Carragher and Lucas all going into the book in the following 20 minutes. With the perceived injustice stoking the home crowd into action, Liverpool initially struggled to make the most of their numerical advantage. In the final 10 minutes, however, Kuyt just failed to get on the end of Nabil El Zhar's through-ball, Agger zipped a long-range effort just past the post and El Zhar nodded narrowly wide from Insua's cross. The Gunners, though, stood firm to take a share of the spoils.