The only other real moment of danger for Liverpool in the opening period saw nemesis Andrey Arshavin slip a pass in for Nicklas Bendtner, only for the recalled striker to shoot wildly from the angle.

But the Gunners were otherwise restricted to shots from range, Arshavin blasting over while Fabregas fired straight at Pepe Reina.

Liverpool’s best – and indeed only – chance of the first half was an Ngog shot that dribbled tamely at Arsenal goalkeeper Almunia from 20 yards, but the visitors were happy to sit back and frustrate Wenger’s side.

And their growing confidence almost resulted in the opener shortly after half-time, good pressure on the Arsenal defence giving Dirk Kuyt the chance to feed the incoming Lucas, who raced past Thomas Vermaelen into the area but his rising shot flew inches over Almunia’s crossbar.

They came closer still shortly afterwards from a lightning counter-attack when Gerrard sent Ngog racing clear. However, the Frenchman took too long deciding over how to finish, giving Gallas the time to execute an excellent saving challenge.

Rosicky was guilty of even worse dilly-dallying less than a minute leader when fed in behind the Liverpool defence, the Czech ultimately over-running the ball straight into the arms of the grateful Reina.

That, though, appeared to prompt Arsenal into life and Liverpool, their defence disrupted by the departure of the stricken Carragher, struggled to regroup.

Bendtner benefited from a lucky ricochet but saw Reina take enough of the pace off his goalbound effort to allow Daniel Agger to clear, before Rosicky had a shot deflected over the bar.

Arsenal’s increasing desperation was apparent when Bendtner was booked for diving after going to ground too easily under the weight of a tackle from international team-mate Agger.

But the visitors couldn’t hold out and Arsenal found a way through on 72 minutes. After a home attack broke down, Bendtner retrieved possession and quickly fed Rosicky down the right, whose first-time cross into the six-yard box was headed in by the unmarked Diaby.

Benitez threw on Babel as Liverpool pressed forward in search of an equaliser, and the Dutchman almost managed the feat with a blistering 20-yard shot that Almunia brilliantly turned on to the crossbar.

Maxi Rodriguez hit a shot on the turn at Almunia but the evening ended in recrimination as referee Webb waved away appeals for a penalty after Fabregas clearly handled Gerrard’s free-kick.