Liverpool required an injury-time goal to avoid a morale-sapping defeat to Arsenal on Sunday in a Premier League match that exposed both teams frailties as they struggle to bridge the gap to the top four.Wearing a bandage to cover up a nasty head wound, Martin Skrtel leapt high at a corner to score a powerful header in the seventh minute of stoppage time and rescue a 2-2 draw for 10-man Liverpool at Anfield.Liverpool dominated the game but again lacked a cutting edge in the continued absence of injured striker Daniel Sturridge, with Philippe Coutinhos 45th-minute opener the only reward for its effervescent build-up play until Skrtels late intervention.Despite being overrun, Arsenal came from behind through goals by France internationals Mathieu Debuchy and Olivier Giroud from the teams first two efforts on target. The visitors should have gone on to take maximum points because Liverpool substitute Fabio Borini was sent off at the start of second-half stoppage time for two quick bookings.Theres no doubt we deserved to win the game, our performance level was outstanding, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. Our performance today was better than when we won here last (season) 5-1.Last seasons runner-up, Liverpool is in 10th place and nine points behind fourth-place West Ham heading toward the mid-point of the season.A late goal was decisive in Sundays other game, with Adam Johnson volleying home a 90th-minute winner for Sunderland in a 1-0 victory at northeast rival Newcastle. It sealed an unprecedented fourth straight derby win for Sunderland.It makes it a very special Christmas for us, said Sunderland manager Gus Poyet, whose team climbed four points clear of the relegation zone.Arsenals fragility in defence and central midfield continues to be a worry for manager Arsene Wenger, who has masterminded 17 straight seasons of Champions League football for the London club. Another top-four finish is expected, even though Arsenal is four points behind West Ham heading into the busy period of fixtures over the festive period.Its a point we are happy to take, Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini said, but we had the chance to win this game.Coutinhos goal, a low shot that went in off the post from the edge of the box, was the least Liverpool deserved from a dominant first half but Arsenal managed to go into halftime level thanks to Debuchys deflected header following a free kick.The second half started with Skrtel needing lengthy treatment after being stamped on the head by Giroud — the reason where there was nine minutes of injury time, in which Skrtel scored the equalizer.Giroud inflicted more pain on Liverpool by steering in Santi Cazorlas cross in the 64th but Arsenal could not hold on, even after Borini was dismissed for two yellow cards inside three minutes.We are disappointed to give a goal away with a free header from a corner, Wenger said.Johnson finished off a length-of-the-field counterattack with a volley inside the near post, scoring at St. James Park for the third season — each of them in wins for Sunderland.They must hate me here, he said.Since ending Chelseas unbeaten start to the season with a 2-1 win on Dec. 6, Newcastle has lost three straight games. 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Dan Bylsma, the winningest coach in franchise history, may be out of a job. Ray Shero, the general manager who spent the last half-decade unsuccessfully trying to replicate the success of 2009, could also be gone. When Crosby lifted the Stanley Cup in triumph on that warm night in Detroit five years ago, it was supposed to mark the beginning of hockeys next dynasty. That hasnt materialized. A handful of maddening springs later, it might be time to move on. Bylsma allowed as much Tuesday night after the Penguins fell to the New York Rangers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, a 2-1 defeat that capped a stunning collapse after Pittsburgh grabbed a commanding 3-1 series lead. "You think about it being the last game," Bylsma said. While the Rangers exulted at one end of the Consol Energy Center ice after advancing to hockeys final four, the Penguins solemnly lined up for a handshake after losing a Game 7 at home for the third time in five seasons. This isnt the way it was supposed to go. Not this time. Despite losing over 500 man games to injury — easily the highest total in the NHL — Pittsburgh strolled to the Metropolitan Division title behind the steady and spectacular play of Crosby, who led the league in scoring and is a heavy favourite to win his second MVP award. After surviving a bumpy six-game series with plucky Columbus in the opening round, the Penguins appeared in total control after a 4-2 win in Game 4 against the weary Rangers. Then it all fell apart. A dismal 5-1 loss in Game 5 shifted momentum to the guys in the blue shirts. New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist did the rest, including 35 sublime saves in the deciding game. Defenceman Matt Niskanen called the debacle in Game 5 a "missed opportunity," one that could lead to significant change in a dressing room that has been among the most stable in the league. "When expectations are high and you ddont win, thats normal," Crosby said.dddddddddddd "Im sure there will be a lot of questions." At the moment, there dont appear to be a lot of answers. Crosby insists hes healthy but lacked his otherworldly sharpness at times, scoring just one goal in 13 playoff games. "It wasnt a lack of effort or competing or anything like that," he said. "Id love to tear it up every series, but its not always the case. It doesnt make it any easier, Ill tell you that. Its tough losing as it is but when youre unable to contribute as much as youd like, its even tougher." Maybe, but its become all too common for one of the NHLs marquee franchises. The Penguins have sold out every home game since Valentines Day in 2007 and play a brand of entertaining hockey that is overwhelmingly successful in the regular season but doesnt always translate in the tight-checking crucible of the playoffs. The leagues top power play during the regular season went just 1 for 20 with the man advantage against New York. Unable to generate much offence from in front of the net, the Penguins spent most of the last three games unsuccessfully peppering Lundqvist from long distance. Its a path that led only to frustration and an all-too-familiar result: the Penguins watching another team skate off the ice in celebration. It happened in 2010, when Pittsburgh fell to Montreal at home in Game 7. It happened last spring, when the Penguins failed to lead the Boston Bruins for a single second while getting swept out of the conference finals. Ray Shero doubled down after seeing his team silenced by the Bruins. He awarded Bylsma a two-year extension, signed Malkin and defenceman Kris Letang to long-term deals and brought back defenceman Rob Scuderi to give the blue line some heft. Different path. Same result. Only this time there will be no doubling down. There will be only change. "Its all tough," Malkin said. "We have great teammates here. We work hard. But 3-1 up in series and last three games we lost, its tough. See you next season, I dont know." Neither does anybody else. ' ' '