An 87th-minute strike by substitute Luis Garcia earned Liverpool a 1-0 victory over Arsenal [Images] in the English Premier League on Tuesday, bringing them to within three points of second-placed Manchester United [Images].

Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann earned man of the match after keeping a surging Liverpool at bay for most of the game and even saving a 32nd-minute penalty from Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

His heroics came to nothing, however, when Dietmar Hamann thundered in a shot from outside the area and the German goalkeeper could only tip it at the feet of Luis Garcia who knocked it home.

Arsenal looked out of sorts and out of form and their defeat dropped them 10 points behind Liverpool, who have not finished above the north London [Images] side for 10 years.

They managed only half a dozen shots on goal to more than 20 by a profligate Liverpool side, for whom Fernando Morientes, Robbie Fowler and Harry Kewell should have scored.

Fowler, celebrating his return to Anfield, praised Lehmann's efforts.

"He was fantastic. Everything we threw at him he managed to pull out. It was incredible."

Fowler, who rejoined Liverpool on a free transfer until the end of the season after more than four years at Leeds and Manchester City, said he was sorry not to be scoring goals himself but added: "If the team's winning and I'm not scoring I'm happy with that."

A grave Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he believes his young side are improving despite their poor record away from home.

"We lost the ball tonight on some occasions when we shouldn't have," he said.

Wenger said Arsenal would "try as hard as we can" to earn at least fourth place and a Champions League place.

With 26 games now played by all the leading sides, Chelsea head the table on 66 points, with Manchester United second on 54, Liverpool on 51 and Tottenham Hotspur, in the last Champions League spot, on 45, four clear of Arsenal.

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