Reds go through in Anfield thriller

Liverpool reached the semi-finals of the Champions League with a dramatic 4-2 victory over Arsenal at Anfield.
A contentious penalty decision allowed Steven Gerrard to put Liverpool on course with four minutes remaining only three after Emmanuel Adebayor's goal seemed set to send the Gunners through on away goals.

The match was frenetic from the start, Arsenal the more likely as Adebayor strayed offside on a couple of occasions. They had the breakthrough when Cesc Fabregas found the lanky striker. His effort from close by the post came back past the Spaniard yet Alexander Hleb was behind him to lay on Diaby, and the wide man finished clinically past Jose Reina.

Reina just got to a near-post Gael Clichy cross as Adebayor lurked, denying Arsenal a two-goal cushion and they were pegged back when Gerrard's swinging set-piece was thumped towards goal by long-serving defender Hyypia. Fabregas lunged on the line to deflect clear with his own head, but was inches from contact with the ball.

The Reds pushed for a second goal before half-time but Gerrard's 20-yard effort that flew over was as close as they came as Arsenal held firm. They almost went ahead for the first time in the tie when Fabio Aurelio's 20-yard shot was deflected just wide off Crouch eight minutes into the second half but Arsenal came back into it and should have scored just after the hour when Eboue sent an effort into the side-netting with Adebayor better placed in the middle.

And the Gunners were made to pay for that miss in the 69th minute when Torres put Liverpool ahead in sensational style. The Spanish striker had been quiet all game but he got on the end of a Crouch flick-on in the box and turned quickly before superbly curling into Manuel Almunia's top left corner from 15 yards.

A superb run from substitute Theo Walcott set up Adebayor to put Arsenal ahead on away goals with six minutes to go but Babel was pulled down in the box a minute later at the other end and Gerrard stepped up to convert.

The pendulum swung again with six minutes to go as Emmanuel Adebayor's goal put them ahead on away goals but a Steven Gerrard penalty two minutes later put Liverpool 3-2 ahead before substitute Ryan Babel put the seal on the win in stoppage time.