Collision of works in progress

The atmosphere was fiery enough, the din as deafening as ever, though it was hard to escape a nagging sense of insignificance eating away at this fixture.

Back when the match had initially been scheduled on the last weekend in August this was billed as a dual of potential champions, the jaw-dropping victors of Istanbul against the recent Invincibles. A little under six months on, it had effectively become a collision of works in progress.

Whether domestically or abroad, these sides could yet plunder silverware this term though the English Premiership has long since slipped from their grasp. Realisation of that much has forged the managers' respective outlooks, short-term gains potentially sacrificed with long-term objectives in mind.

Combine Arsenal's forward line with Liverpool's midfield and defence and there would be a side which would have Chelsea quaking in their boots. Instead, Rafael Benitez and Arsene Wenger are still some way short of constructing a team of contenders.

Benitez signed a new player yesterday - the Argentinean Gabriel Paletta, a centre half of some promise. The defender turns 20 today and was shivering in the stands as he watched his future team-mates gnash in frustration at Steven Gerrard's first half penalty miss.

Benitez, like Wenger, is under oppressive pressure to glean Champions League football every season whilst attempting to build a side which will eventually claim the league title. Yet all Liverpool's recently signed youngsters - from Daniel Agger to Mohamed Sissoko, Antonio Barragan to Paletta - will need time to flourish.

"People can prepare teams for two or three years' time, but you need to win now," Benitez had conceded. "That pressure is always there. Can you prepare the team for the future and win games now? That is the question, and that is what we are trying to do by signing players like Sissoko and Agger who can give things to us now and in the future."

The Liverpool side here offered a neat blend of youth and experience, with the relative veteran Robbie Fowler making his first Anfield start for the club in a little over four years while Sissoko scuttled effectively at his back. Sissoko has impressed this term, though reminders of how raw he remains flare regularly.

At least Sissoko arrived here having featured regularly for Valencia - Arsenal's problems are far more pressing. With Ashburton Grove looming large on the Islington skyline, they can ill afford to miss out on fourth place and a qualifier for the continent's lucrative elite competition - should they fail to win it this term - though a combination of injuries, absentees and sales has stripped Wenger of this team's most reliable performers.

There is huge promise in their crop of bright young things, yet they are being asked to perform beyond their years. Cesc Fabregas was making his 33rd appearance of the season here and his 80th as an Arsenal player, with murmurings of discontent that the Spaniard has failed to maintain last year's startling form. Yet, staggeringly, Fabregas is still only 18. Inconsistency should surely be expected.

Around him, the recently signed Emmanuel Adebayor, (21), loped with menace with Emmanuel Eboue, at 22 making his first league start, largely effective and unfortunate to concede the penalty for a vague push on Fernando Morientes.

Abou Diaby, a 19-year-old signed for £10 million from Auxerre, began on the bench, but, while he has been earmarked as a long-term successor to Patrick Vieira, he arrived in London with only five league starts behind him in his career.

This game could have done with a flash of brilliance to offer a reminder that, in time, this could again be between possible champions.