Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier accused Franny Jeffers of being a conman after the former Everton striker earned the late penalty which gave Arsenal a draw against Liverpool at Highbury on Sunday.

Liverpool had taken the lead with a spot kick of their own after Sol Campbell had brought down Milan Baros in the area, but could not hold onto their lead and were undone by Thierry Henry’s spot kick.

Replays suggested that Franny might have taken a tumble for the pen, but what does it matter? Are you telling me Liverpool's strikers (past and present) have never made a deliberate meal of a challenge to earn a penalty? These things happen in football and the truth is we deserved a draw anyway.

Liverpool started the game with their familiar 10-0-0 formation. Alright so that's a bit of an exaggeration, but it's fair to say they weren't interested in doing anything other than keeping Arsenal out.

Strangely Arsene Wenger chose Kanu ahead of Franny up front. Perhaps he felt the extra creativity that Kanu can occasionally provide would be needed to crack the Liverpool defence. Whatever, Kanu had one of those frustratingly ineffectual games and it was no surprise that he did not last the full 90 minutes.

With Liverpool sitting deep, we held the bulk of the possession and spent much of the first half camped in the visitors penalty area racking up chances and corners.

Sol had a goal disallowed for pushing Salif Diao and saw another effort saved by Kirkland. The Liverpool keeper had a fine game and also made a good stop from Sylvain Wiltord in the first half. There would have been little he could have done to keep Thierry Henry's header out, but TH failed to keep his effort on target - he's still to score a headed goal in the Premiership!

Michael Owen departed with a hamstring injury after 33 minutes (did anyone even notice he was on the pitch at all?) and was replaced by El Hadji Diouf. But Liverpool continued to look more interested in containment than attack as the first half clock ran down.

To be fair to the visitors they were more positive after the break and began to worry those of us who had not been put to sleep by their first half display with some useful counter attacks.

They still had Kirkland to thank for making a superb double-save from Henry and Pires, but were beginning to fashion chances of their own.

Baros came close to scoring with an effort that hit the outside of the post after Seaman had let the ball skid out of his grasp, and Diouf’s header was cleared off the line by Ashley Cole.

Baros was probably Liverpool’s liveliest player and it was he who earned his side the breakthrough after Sol brought him down inside the area. Jeff Winter didn’t have the clearest view of the foul, but the linesman saw it and the penalty was given. Danny Murphy dispatched it to give Liverpool the lead.

Le Boss had already replaced Kanu with Dennis and in a further effort to break down Liverpool’s resistance he introduced Franny Jeffers to the action.

Franny had an almost immediate impact, tumbling under Riise’s challenge in the box to earn the disputed penalty from which Thierry Henry gave us the equaliser.

We might have won the game after that, but Gilberto missed an easy chance from six yards out. A second goal would have left us 12 points clear of Liverpool and seven clear in top spot, as it is we’ll go into the New Years Day clash with Chelsea five points clear at the top of the Premiership.