Arsenal – Liverpool

Join us for live commentary as the Champions League goes a bit English (well, Spanish and French really) as Arsenal and Liverpool go head-to-head at the Emirates from 19.45pm GMT.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger restores striker Emmanuel Adebayor to the starting line-up for tonight's Champions League quarter-final first leg match against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal also opt for Phillippe Senderos in the centre of defence, with Kolo Toure on the right of defence.

Javier Mascherano returns to the visitors' midfield after suspension, while Fabio Aurelio replaces John Arne Riise at left-back.

Jamie Carragher continues in recently unfamiliar right-back slot, allowing veteran Finn Sami Hyypia to continue in central defence.

It's Arsenal to get us started at the Emirates!

This is the 200th meeting between the two sides, early sparring right now.

There seems to be loads of empty seats at the ground. Maybe London's transport system is up the spout again. I'll keep you posted on seat-watch.

You're not missing anything so far. Little creation - just a midfield battle

Hleb feels Gerrard, free-kick

Alonso finds Kuyt in the area - awful control for the Dutchman as he sets his marker for the match...

Great ball over the top for Adebayor. He springs the offside trip but Reina comes rushing out... and misses the ball! Comedy!...

Adebayor brings the ball back inside but Reina stays with him outside the area and gets in a good tackle. The Liverpool keeper is a very lucky boy - shades of Old Trafford!

Skirtel gets a good tackle in on Adebayor as he looks to find space for a shot in the area

Arsenal on top early doors - Liverpool offering little in the other half

Seats are filling up - must be delays on the Picadilly line

Eboue is such a CHEAT! Aurelio made the tackle, missed him competely and Eboue went down like he was shot! He didn't get the free-kick but no yellow card either.

Lovely play there from Arsenal - Clichy had the chance to feed in Van Persie but his pass was just too strong. Great stuff.

Liverpool get a free-kick 10 yards inside the Gunners' half. Gerrard looks for the back stick and Almunia needlessly palms it behind. It was a poor delivery and the keeper should have let it go

Gerrard takes the corner from the left, Toure heads clear at the near post

Mascherano picks up the loose ball and finds Hyypia in a good position - good defending from Fabregas to snuff out danger

Carragher tries to break down the wing but over-runs the ball allowing Clichy to challenge

Torres goes down injured, slightly caught by Flamini. The Spaniard turns down treatment and will be okay.

Free-kick to Arsenal on the right flank. Van Persie will deliver.

He whips it into the area of the penalty spot - there's no red shirt and Gerrard heads away

Toure bursts into the area and wins a corner off Mascherano. Great delivery from Fabregas, Toure goes to flick in at the near post but just can't get the contact.

Flamini finds Van Perise in the clear with a sublime ball over the top. He'll have to take it first time...

...Van Persie lifts it over the bar! Too much on the short - if it had gone in Mr Bergkamp would have been proud.

More great play from Arsenal, Fabregas picks out Van Persie but he scuffs the effort a little enabling Reina to palm it behind

Corner to Arsenal. It's taken short and Van Persie whips it into the danger zone...

GOAL!!!

Adebayor rises unmarked to head into the roof of the net. Awful defending from Liverpool and the Togo international makes no mistake

You have to ask serious questions again of Rafa's zonal marking system. Liverpool defenders were watching shadows - great ball from Van Persie though

Liverpool look for an immediate reply. Gerrard bursts into the area, holds off the challenge of Clichy. He fires it across the face of goal...

GOAL!!!

Dirk Kuyt has the simple task of sliding in to finish from four yards out. But the contribition of their skipper was immense - great play from Gerrard

Toure tries a speculative sina from 30 yards out - never really troubling Reina

So, Liverpool now have that all-important away goal. Arsenal must go out looking for an advantage to take to Anfield

Adebayor takes a swipe at a shot after a Liverpool clearance spoons into the area - but it's a fresh-air shot.

Arsenal have been knocked bakc by the goal, Liverpool improving

Kuyt and Torres work it well, the Spaniard then finding Babel on the left. Babel cuts inside and tries an amitious shot which Almunia gathers with ease

Gerrard looks for Babel down the line - offside.

Once Rafa gets them in at half-time will it be shut up shop? Will he be happy with draw + away goal?

Great one-two between Torres and Gerrard - Torres has his feet clipped and it's a free-kick just outside the box on the left

Gerrard takes it, and finds Torres completely unmarked at the back post! He lobs it back to the other post, but it's too high for Hyypia and Gerrard then wins a corner from an attempted cross

Gerrard takes from the left - straight into the arms of Almunia

Great defending from Toure - Babel thought he was through in the box. And it's a goal-kick too

Gerrard and Torres are so muich on the same wavelength it's untrue. Great understanding

Kuyt needs a bit of treatment but he'll be fine

Seat-Watch: Pretty much full now. And about time! They'll need to leave to beat the traffic in a minute!

Liverpool on top as we reach the interval

Adebayor has a great chance to deliver after being found by Hleb - though he looked offside. Adebayor just hits the first man!

Mascherano blocks a cross. Corner - on the right just like the goal

Arsenal again work the short corner but Van Persie's tap to Fabregas was poor and it all goes horribly wrong!

Another corner as Babel stops Eboue's progress.

This time Van Persie goes the direct route - headed away at the near post

One minute to be added

And there goes the whistle. Arsenal were the better team when they scored but Liverpool's away goal changes the complexion of the tie compeltely!

Arsenal get the second half started

A change for the Gunners, and Robin van Persie is replaced by Theo Walcott - thigh injury for RVP, a blow

Can Arsenal muster a second goal? Will Walcott rise to the big occasion?

Senderos brings down Torres on the wing and is very lucky to escape without a booking

Gerrard floats in the free-kick from the right, Torre knocks it down for Kuyt and Almunia just saves the shot at full stretch - and gathers as Hyypia was about to pounce

Clichy's angled ball over the top looking for the run over Walcott is poor and runs through to Reina

Very slow start to the second half. No instant response from Arsenal

Hleb finds Eboue on the right with a great chance to cross - it's an awful one and that will have to improve if the Gunners are going to get up a head of steam

Carragher trips Walcott out on the left. Free-kick

Fabregas' bending free kick is just too close to the keeper and Reina claims. Very close to being a superb cross. But it's not

Torres breaks into the box - Gallas backs off and backs off - but his cross shot goes straight to Almunia

Arsenal break, Walcott runs at the Liverpool defence and unleashes a breathtaking drive which goes just a foot wide of the post

Walcott is on fire now. Kuyt is forced to put the ball behind to stop his run. Fabregas takes and Reina flaps at it but gets away with it

It runs to the far side and Arsenal win a free-kick. It's as good as another corner. Fabregas; cross evades everyone and goes through the legs of Adebayor

A change for Liverpool now as Yossi Benayoun comes on for the ineffectual Ryan Babel

This is better from Arsenal now. The tempo's been raised but they need real end product

Adebayor just fails to get on the end of a sublime 50-yard pass from Fabragas. What a ball!

Liverpool happy to play on the break now and allow Arsenal plenty of the ball

Clichy is fouled by Clichy right by the goal-line - at last a chance at the other end

Just outside the box on the right, Gerrard chips it to the centre of goal - Adebayor heads away with interest

Adebayor runs down a cul-de-sac but the alertness of Walcott creates a chance - he pulls it back for Eboue but the contact is poor and Liverpool survive

It comes back in for Hleb - great chance for him but Kuyt looks to have dragged him back - surely a penalty!

No! Corner! Right in front of the ref! Awful decision. Kuyt clearly held back Hleb and it should be a spot-kick.

A change for Arsenal. The woeful Eboue is replaced by Niklas Bendtner.

Snap shot from Fabregas - always going wide

Torres now has a speculative effort himself - way over

Adebayor does brilliantly to beat Carragher, gets to the byline and chips it across - Reina just gets a glove there before the head of Bendtner...

...but Fabregas does brilliantly to get the first touch on the loose ball - it must be a goal...

...but it hits Bendtner on the goal-line, his momentum meant he could not get out of the way of Fabregas' shot. And he's in an offside position. The chance is gone

Now Adebayor is offside, coming back from behind the line

Arsenal are now looking for another push, just as it seemed Fabregas had a certain goal. Liverpool have no interest in attacking.

Corner to Liverpool, it's a good delivery from Gerrard but it goes through everyone and then Skirtel and Alonso mess around with it and the chance is gone

Handball against Alonso from Walcott's cross. Another chance for a great delivery.

Fabregas delivers from the left - but the offside flag is up

Lucas comes on for Liverpool, he replaces Alonso

Liverpool closing down the play very quickly, but Arsenal are looking ponderous

Liverpool look confident with the 1-1. Rafa looking content on the sidelines

Benayoun looks for Gerrard on the left - too much on the pass and it goes out for a throw

Skirtel does weel to get in a challenge on Fabregas on the left

You really can't see Arsenal fashioning another chance. They need to get Walcott on the ball but are failing miserably

Hleb crosses from the left - straight into the arms of Reina

Torres tries to turn and shoot in the area - Senderos does well against the Spaniard and the striker loses his footing

Voronin makes his return from injury - replacing Torres

Liverpool are such an enterntaining side. It's great to see them shut up shop at half-time. The beautiful game.

Gerrard thinks he should have a free-kick after a running tussle with Flamini - the ref waves it away

The ref may as well just blow up now. Nothing's going to change. Dull, dull, dull

Seat-watch: The Emirates is not emptying as early as for a normal night match. The fans aren't even on the edge of their seats! Boom boom!

Gerrard crosses! Only Voronin in the box, Senderos clears

Three long, long minutes to be added on

Adebayor lifts a ball across onto the penalty spot for the onrushing Fabregas - but he head into the arms of Reina, needed to go to one side

Just a minute left now

Walcott and Bendtner link up well, the Dane gets to the byline and Carragher gets a vital challenge in just as Adebayor was about to pounce at the near post

And that's it - full time!

Liverpool will be by far the happier heading to Anfield for the second leg, an away goal and no deficit

Arsenal will be fuming they did not win a penalty - surely Arsene Wenger saw that one

But this tie is far from over... hopefully the second leg will prove to be more exciting