LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers felt his players demonstrated the character necessary to revitalise their challenge for a top-four Premier League finish in their last-gasp 2-2 draw with Arsenal.
After Philippe Coutinho's opener was swiftly cancelled out by Mathieu Debuchy in first-half stoppage time at Anfield on Sunday, while Olivier Giroud struck in the 64th minute to set Arsenal up for an opportunistic victory.
But having earlier required treatment for a head wound inflicted by Giroud that left him with a bandaged head and led to nine minutes of injury time, Martin Skrtel claimed an equaliser with an emphatic 97th-minute header in front of the Kop.
The point was the least Liverpool deserved after restricting Arsenal to a 36% share of possession — their worst performance in that domain since passing statistics began to be compiled in 2003.
Although Liverpool trail leaders Chelsea by 17 points and lie nine points adrift of the Champions League places, Rodgers is convinced that last season's runners-up are on the right track.
"It was always going to be a big challenge. Of course we've got to make up points over the next part of the season, but we have shown this is a group that can go on a run of games (wins).
"The most important thing is the confidence and the ability in the team. You bring (injured striker Daniel) Sturridge back in January, then you get back to being that team we have been in the last few years.
"There's a bit of work to do, but at least we're moving in the right direction again, which is what we want."
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