Despite taking a late stoppage-time lead, Arsenal failed to get all three points against Liverpool and are now six points from the top of the English Premier League table.

Speaking after the draw, manager Arsene Wenger admitted the draw means that the Gunners drop two important points in the title race as he added that the away side focused on defending and counter attack whenever on the ball, a strategy adopted by many teams that play at the Emirates Stadium.

Asked about the referee’s decision to give Liverpool a penalty, the Arsenal boss explained that it was not a penalty and that eight minutes of stoppage time were given by the fourth official yet the penalty decision came after eleven.

The Gunners will face North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday with leaders Manchester United in action on Tuesday away against Newcastle and third-place Chelsea to play on Wednesday, at home against Birmingham City.

On the 1-1 draw, Wenger said:

We dropped two points today. It was a difficult game against a Liverpool team who defended a lot and basically only defended.

It was difficult for us to create chances because they defended very deep. When they had the ball they played long so it was important not to make mistakes at the back. They defended well, like most of the Premier League teams that come here now.

We conceded the penalty after 11 minutes [of stoppage time] and the injury time was [supposed to be] eight minutes. It was no penalty and I don’t see where the three minutes came from.

There was no intervention from [Emmanuel] Eboue. It was Lucas who stood in his way and stopped his run to the ball. Eboue went for the ball and not for the player.