Liverpool's title challenge appears to be crumbling before their eyes as they suffered another bruising defeat to one of their championship rivals, going down 2-1 at home to Arsenal.

	Van Bronckhorst: Sent off for diving (GaryMPrior/Allsport)

Thierry Henry and Fredrik Ljungberg ended Arsenal's five-year Anfield hoodoo even though the Gunners had to play most of the match with 10 men and with Patrick Vieira suspended.

Henry, from the penalty spot, ended his side's goal jinx at Liverpool - Ian Wright had been the last Arsenal man to score there in 1996 and the Gunners had played 427 minutes without scoring since.

That came after some inconsistent refereeing by Paul Durkin, who made sure there will be no Christmas presents from Highbury heading his way.

Durkin first sent off Giovanni van Bronckhorst for diving - a harsh-looking decision as the Dutchman appeared to lose his footing in the box.

Then when the referee awarded Arsenal a spot-kick after Jerzy Dudek had upended Ljungberg, by the rule book he should have sent off the Liverpool keeper too.

Ljungberg went on to score Arsenal's second goal and although substitute Jari Litmanen pulled Liverpool back into the game, the Reds could not break down the Gunners again as Ray Parlour led a valiant rearguard action.

This was a crucial match for the Barclaycard Premiership title race with both sides coming off defeats - a Michael Owen-less Liverpool were humiliated 4-0 at Chelsea a week ago while Arsenal slipped 3-1 at home to Newcastle in midweek.

Chances were at a premium in the opening period and it was 10 minutes before the first throw-in, ruining the afternoon for any spread-betters who had gambled on an early one.

The best move of the opening spell came in the 17th minute when Kanu freed Robert Pires down the left wing, but when the French winger cut in and centred the ball across goal, the Nigerian steered a lazy-looking shot wide.

Owen, newly crowned European Footballer of the Year, could hardly have gone closer to his 100th goal for Liverpool than in the 24th minute.

Danny Murphy's sweet turn and pass on the edge of the area found Owen scampering free and he rolled a shot past Stuart Taylor which somehow Ashley Cole kept out, first diverting it towards his own net and then sticking out a desperate foot to kick it off the line.

Controversy erupted in the 36th minute when van Bronckhorst was shown the yellow card for the second time for diving.

The Dutch midfielder went down while running for the ball alongside Sami Hyypia in the Liverpool box and became the 40th Arsenal player sent off in Arsene Wenger's five-and-a-half years in charge, and eighth this season.

They say life begins at 40, and the decision certainly sparked Arsenal into life.

When Pires went down as he tried to turn John Arne Riise, there was relief among the Liverpool fans - or, given his previous action, both sets of fans - when Durkin waved play on.

In first-half stoppage time Arsenal took the lead, ironically enough from a penalty.

Kanu made space on the left, spotted Ljungberg's run and found him perfectly. The Swede tried to go past Dudek but was pulled down and this time Durkin pointed to the spot. Henry made no mistake, and finally Arsenal had scored at Anfield.

Liverpool assistant boss Phil Thompson sent on Litmanen and Vladimir Smicer for ineffective Emile Heskey and Gary McAllister at half-time.

Three minutes after the restart, Arsenal failed to clear their lines and Owen wriggled free of Martin Keown's attentions. The Kop rose as one but somehow the striker placed his left-foot shot wide when he seemed certain to score.

In the 51st minute, Henry missed the sort of chance he normally takes blindfold, but at the end of Arsenal's next attack they were 2-0 up.

The build-up will not make pleasant viewing for Steven Gerrard. First the England player gave the ball straight to Pires, and then when he tried to make amends he was left for dead in the penalty area before the winger centred for Ljungberg to dart into the six-yard box and stab the ball home for his eighth goal of the season.

But in the 55th minute, Liverpool hauled themselves back into contention. The ball reached Owen on the right of the penalty area, his lofted cross to the far post found Litmanen unmarked and he headed the ball past Taylor to make it 2-1.

Liverpool's goal sparked an intense period of pressure by the home side, with Arsenal's backs to the wall even though at least half an hour remained.

Patrik Berger had a great chance to equalise when Litmanen picked out his run but the Czech could only find the side netting from 12 yards.

Litmanen then swung in a cross which appeared comfortable for Taylor, but perhaps nerves got to him as he dropped the ball and was happy to fall on it again with Owen buzzing around him.