Arsenal Football News & Views on Heroic Lehmann

When Jens Lehmann joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund in 2003, he knew that it would be difficult he was following a legend. But David Seaman would have been very proud to have put in the kind of performance that the German conjured up at Anfield. It was truly heroic yet sadly, ultimately tinged with tragedy.

Time after time Lehmann kept Arsenal in the game with a string of magnificent saves, including a dive to his right to reach Gerrards well struck penalty, a tremendous acrobatic leap to deflect a cross which had ricocheted off Senderos head, and a stunning one handed save to deny Robbie Fowler a dream goal on his Anfield comeback.

And so it went on, until by the 87th minute an Arsenal side yet again depleted by injuries entertained high hopes of a battling draw, especially when Lehmann dived to parry a vicious drive from his compatriot Dietmar Hamann, then leapt up in a flash to cover Luis Garcias shot from the rebound. But it was not to be. Improbably, the goalkeeper got his body behind the substitutes strike, only to see the ball creep inside the far post.

It was a heart-breaking moment for Lehmann, who had defied Liverpool until the very last with a demonstration of goalkeeping that few Arsenal or Liverpool fans will ever forget.