
Liverpool's Joe Allen, second left, celebrates with teammates after scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016 (AP)
Joe Allen capped a chaotic game with a 90th-minute equalizer for Liverpool to salvage a 3-3 draw against Arsenal, whose Premier League lead was wiped out on Wednesday.
After four goals in 15 minutes in an error-strewn but thrilling first half, it looked like Olivier Giroud's excellent solo goal in the 55th minute would preserve Arsenal's two-point advantage at the top.
But two substitutes combined for Liverpool's equalizer as snow fell at Anfield, with Christian Benteke heading a long ball back across the penalty area for Allen to meet with a first-time shot into the bottom corner. It provoked a wild celebration from Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp on the touchline.
Brazil forward Roberto Firmino twice gave Liverpool the lead with his first goals at home for the club, only for Aaron Ramsey and Giroud to bring Arsenal level as both defenses were found wanting.
Arsenal is level on 43 points with Leicester, which beat Tottenham away on Wednesday.
At one point around the half-hour mark, the rival managers — Klopp and Arsene Wenger — came together in the technical area and engaged in deep conversation, seemingly venting their frustration at the state of their teams' defending.
It was chaotic at times, especially Liverpool's axis of goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, and central defenders Kolo Toure and Mamadou Sakho that was all over the place. Mignolet might have been at fault for both of Arsenal's first-half goals, and the Belgian received ironic cheers at one stage in the first half when he collected the weakest of shots.
Liverpool started at a furious pace and took a 10th-minute lead when Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech parried Emre Can's fierce, angled shot straight to Firmino. The Brazilian controlled and shot left-footed through the legs of Laurent Koscielny and past an unsighted Cech.
Arsenal's response was rapid as Joel Campbell slipped a perfectly-weighted pass through to Ramsey, who drove a low finish past Mignolet at his near post in the 14th.
Firmino grabbed the third — and best — goal in a frantic nine-minute span when he curled a shot from 25 meters beyond Cech's grasp.
The defending couldn't really be blamed there, but fingers will be pointed at Mignolet and his defenders for Giroud's goal, with the striker getting the faintest of touches on a left-wing corner to the near post, which wasn't guarded by a Liverpool player. Mignolet scrambled across his line but couldn't keep it out.
Mignolet had no chance with Giroud's classy second. He took a short pass from Campbell, beat Toure with a Cruyff turn, and curled into the bottom corner from 10 meters.
With Liverpool's passing becoming ragged, Arsenal grew in confidence and playmaker Mesut Ozil came more into the game in the second half to spark dangerous counter-attacks.
But the visitors still looked vulnerable at the back, especially to crosses from the wings, and Alberto Moreno and Adam Lallana both squandered chances as Liverpool finished strongly.
Klopp threw on new loan signing Steven Caulker — a defender — to play as an emergency striker in the final few minutes. But it was Benteke who leapt highest to meet a deep cross and Allen steered his volley home.
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