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Brendan Rodgers revealed Liverpool still have their sights set on a top-four finish – as he accused Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez of diving.

On a dramatic afternoon at Anfield, Martin Skrtel netted an equaliser in the seventh minute of injury time to earn the Reds a 2-2 draw against the Gunners.

Liverpool are now nine points adrift of the Champions League qualification places in 10 place.

Rodgers, though, believes his team can make up the lost ground, particularly when Daniel Sturridge returns from injury in the New Year.

Asked if the top four was possible, the Reds boss said: “Yes, absolutely. It is always going to be a big challenge.

“Of course we have to make up points but we have shown this is a club that can go on a run of games.

“In the second half of last season we went on a run of 11 wins.

“The most important thing is the confidence. Bring Sturridge back in January and we can get back to being that team.

“We are moving in the right direction.”

Sturridge, sidelined since August, is currently in Los Angeles having treatment on a thigh injury.

And Rodgers added: “He will be back home just after the Christmas period.

“After his rehab in LA, he is going back to Boston and he will move on to a specialist facility there and hopefully some point in January we will get him back.

“We'll put him into the mix again and go back to that flow of our game and results, hopefully.”

Watch: James Pearce on Liverpool's draw with Arsenal

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Philippe Coutinho fired Liverpool into a 45th-minute lead only for Mathieu Debuchy to moments later capitalise on poor defending at a set-piece to equalise.

And while critical of his team, Rodgers was unhappy at the award of the free-kick when Steven Gerrard was adjudged to have fouled Sanchez.

“I didn’t think it was a free kick,” said the Reds boss. “I thought Sanchez dived but when it came in we lost three one-v-one headers.

“That is not about organisation that is about winning the duel. We have to defend it better.

We lost three headers which can’t happen.”

Olivier Giroud put Arsenal ahead on 64 minutes before Skrtel's dramatic equaliser, which came just moments after substitute Fabio Borini had been dismissed for two quickfire bookings.

And Rodgers said: “The draw says everything about our character. Slowly we are getting back to where we want to get back to.

“Our performance today was outstanding, along with the passing and intensity and the pressing.

“We are disappointed with the goals we conceded but the character and the quality of the team was very, very good.

“We have played better and dominated more than we did last season when we won 5-1.

“To restrict Arsenal to so few shots was impressive. For me the key is we are moving in the right direction.

“Arsenal will probably be delighted with the point.

“To concede only three shots on target to one of the top teams in European football at keeping the ball, I thought we were brilliant.”

Rodgers added: “Fabio's red card was unfortunate.

“He was angry he wasn't given a throw-in and showed his frustration for the first booking, and second one (for a high challenge on Santi Cazorla) was unfortunate.”

Skrtel's goal was his first since April and came during 10 minutes of stoppage time required after the Slovakian needed lengthy treatment to a head injury having been stood on by Giroud.

“He is a strong character,” said Rodgers. “He stayed on and scored a great header.

“He is a real warrior, Martin. Since he went back into the team he has scored goals and they are important for us.

“He was the top-scoring defender in the league last year.”