Penalty drama dents Arsenal’s title bid

Kuyt scores in injury-time as Liverpool draw 1-1 with the Gunners.

LONDON:

Arsene Wenger’s hopes of guiding Arsenal to the Premier League title are in tatters after Dirk Kuyt’s last-gasp penalty earned a dramatic 1-1 draw for Liverpool.

Wenger’s side appeared to have snatched a stoppage-time victory when Cesc Fabregas was tripped by Jay Spearing in the penalty area.

Robin van Persie scored from the spot but Arsenal could not keep their composure and Lucas Leiva bundled over by Emmanuel Eboue in the 12th minute of added time and Kuyt converted the spot-kick.

It leaves Arsenal six points behind leaders Manchester United with six games for each side to play.

Wenger frustrated over penalty

Wenger was furious with the penalty decision and said, “I feel hard done by at the end because time was over.

“I don’t think it was a penalty at all but Lucas played in an intelligent way, he stopped his run in front of Eboue. But we have to take it and continue to fight.”

Meanwhile, Reds boss Kenny Dalglish seemed content with his team’s performance. “What my team did at the end epitomised what they did all day. Everything was battling against us and they still remained committed.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th,  2011.