The hosts went ahead of Manchester United on goal difference having come from behind three times, starting with Arshavin's first in the 36th minute.

Liverpool realistically had 45 minutes to keep their season alive and that realisation brought the equaliser within four minutes of the restart as Fernando Torres headed low into the left corner of Lukas Fabianski's goal.

Seven minutes later they were ahead as Dirk Kuyt crossed to the far post where Yossi Benayoun headed in, but it was another mistake which brought the equaliser as Alvaro Arbeloa's control lead to Arshavin nipping in to fire past Pepe Reina's outstretched left hand, before the Russian drilled another shot under Reina for his hat-trick in the 70th minute.

Amazingly Liverpool were level again two minutes later when Torres controlled Albert Riera's cross, turned Mikael Silvestre and firing past Fabianski.

But as Liverpool pushed for a winner, Theo Walcott broke from a corner and played in Arshavin to score his fourth in injury time. Benayoun bundled home an equaliser even later on but it was too late to force a victory.