Cech heroics earn Gunners a draw
With Arsenal centre-backs Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny absent - the former ill, the latter laid low by a back problem - Liverpool dominated the first half, hitting the woodwork twice and seeing Petr Cech produce an astonishing save to deny Christian Benteke.
The evening's first bombshell landed when Arsenal's starting line-up was announced, revealing that Mertesacker and Koscielny would both miss a league game for the first time since a 2-1 loss at home to Wigan Athletic in April 2012.
But Liverpool exhibited defensive frailties of their own and after Sanchez had headed over, Aaron Ramsey scored from a sensational Santi Cazorla pass, only to be denied by an offside flag.
It was then Cech's turn to dig his team out, the Czech goalkeeper producing an extraordinary stop to prevent Benteke from poking in Roberto Firmino's low cross at point-blank range and then brilliantly tipping a shot from Coutinho onto the post after the Brazilian had embarrassed Hector Bellerin.
In search of an extra out ball, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers sent the pacy Jordon Ibe on for Firmino, but Arsenal continued to press, with visiting goalkeeper Simon Mignolet forced to claw away a close-range shot from Giroud and field a curler from Ramsey.
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