London  - Andrei Arshavin scored four as Arsenal drew 4-4 with Liverpool on Tuesday to turn the title race firmly in the direction of Manchester United.

United, who will go three points clear of Liverpool at the top of the table - with a game in hand - if they beat Portsmouth on Wednesday.

Arshavin put Arsenal ahead nine minutes before half-time, but goals from Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun in the first ten minutes of the second half gave Liverpool the advantage.

Midway through the second half, though, Arshavin made the most of defensive errors twice in four minutes to give Arsenal the lead.

Torres levelled three minutes later, but as Liverpool chased a winner, Arshavin broke to add a fourth.

Benayoun stabbed his second of the night to make it 4-4, which perhaps keeps Liverpool's hopes flickering.

Liverpool began at high tempo, and as early as the fourth minute Torres showed great strength and pace to shake of Bacary Sagna and Kolo Toure, only to drag his shot into the body of Gunners goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

The Polish goalkeeper was widely criticised for his performance in Arsenal's 2-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea on Saturday, but without inspiring confidence at Anfield, he made a number of useful saves.

After a brave block at the feet of Benayoun, he made a fine tip-over to keep out a Torres drive.

As their initial fire burned out, though, Liverpool became oddly sloppy.

A Cesc Fabregas shot bounced between the post and the desperate lunge of Nicklas Bendtner, but the opener did come their way after 36 minutes.

Javier Mascherano was caught in possession in his own box, Samir Nasri slipped in Fabregas, who pulled back for Arshavin to slam in off the underside of the bar.

Liverpool were furious, claiming offside, but replays suggested Fabregas had been level as Nasri nudged the ball into his path.

Benayoun stung the palms of Fabianski moments later, and the renewed assault carried on into the second half.

Four minutes after the break, Dirk Kuyt, capitalising on a poor clearance from Sagna, stood up a cross for Torres, who thumped his header into the bottom corner.

Kuyt had been moved to the right at half-time and his was his cross that led to the second as well, a combination of a diving Benayoun and Sagna's effort to clear forcing the ball over the line.

Liverpool seemed comfortable at that stage, but sloppiness cost them again after 67 minutes.

Alvaro Arbeloa was caught in possession by Arshavin, who ran on and sent a thunderous 20-yard drove just inside the right-hand post.

Four minutes later, the Russian completed his hat-trick. Fabio Aurelio mystifyingly scuffed a clearance back into his own box, and Arshavin pinged his shot under the body of Pepe Reina.

That lead lasted just two minutes, before Torres skipped by Mikael Silvestre and hit a low shot into the corner.

Bendtner then had a goal narrowly but correctly ruled out for offside, and Torres had a header cleared off the line by Kieran Gibbs.

As Liverpool desperately sought a winner, Theo Walcott broke to lay on Arshavin's fourth.

Benayoun poked in from a corner to make it 4-4 - Liverpool's second eight-goal draw in a week - but the real rejoicing was in Manchester. (dpa)