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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger acknowledged his side could have been dead and buried by halftime in their premier league clash with Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.
"They could have been two or three goals up," said Wenger, whose team fought back from a goal down to win 2-1 and extend their lead at the top of the table to four points.
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"We had to show all the qualities we have in our squad," he added.
"In the first half, resilience and hanging on, and in the second half it
was about closing people down."
Arsenal fell behind to a 13th-minute strike by Australian Harry Kewell but equalised on the half hour through Brazilian Edu, whose downward header from a Robert Pires free kick was deflected into his own net by Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia. Ticketmaster
Edu's goal came minutes after Liverpool's Michael Owen had failed to convert two chances and Wenger described the equaliser as "a mental blow" for the home side.
Arsenal sealed victory with a brilliant curling shot by Pires from the edge of the penalty area on 68 minutes, extending their unbeaten start to the league season to eight matches.
"It was an outstanding goal," Wenger said, describing it as "just Pires".
Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier accepted his side had been beaten by a classy team but thought they had not deserved to stumble to their third league defeat of the season and second in succession. Ticketmaster
"We have to take our chances," he said. "They hardly had a kick in the first half apart from the free kick, obviously, which gave them their goal.
"I'm disappointed because by the end of the first half we could have sealed it off really. I'm pleased with the performance but very disappointed with the result."