If you read the newspaper and see a score line that shows Liverpool 4-4 Arshavin, it would be an understandable mistake, as Andrei Arshavin scored all four goals for Arsenal in a thriller at Anfield tonight (Apr. 21) It was an incredible game, easily the best in the English Premier League this season and Arshavin was only one of many storylines in this cracker.

Liverpool, who have shown when they attack, can be one of the most entertaining teams in the league, went ahead 2-1, but then found themselves trailing three times before finally leveling the score for good at four all. To nobody’s surprise it came in injury time after Arsenal went up 4-3 in the 90th minute. It was the sixth goal of the second half.

Arshavin, who the genius Arsene Wenger left to rot on the bench for 75 minutes in Arsenal’s FA Cup loss to Chelsea on the weekend, was deadly in his finishing, while Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun scored twice for Liverpool. And when you throw in two goals that were ruled offside by Arsenal, the ball hit the back of the net 10 times. Well actually nine, as one of Benayoun’s just managed to cross the goal line. Benayoun impresses me every time out. I think he’s a very underrated player and has been a key in Liverpool’s push for the title.

While Liverpool have one point more than they had yesterday, and have temporarily moved into first place in the EPL on goal difference, they actually dropped two points in the race for the title. While Liverpool fans no doubt witnessed a match of epic proportions, this will soon sink in and it will be Man United and Chelsea fans who will actually benefit most from this game. It just goes to show how exciting a football match can be when both teams go for goals as mistakes are usually forced. Every manager in the league should be forced to watch the tape of this match.

There was another nail biter tonight in Spain as Gonzalo Higuain’s injury-time goal earned a remarkable 3-2 comeback win for Real Madrid at over Getafe at home. Real are now only three points behind Barcelona for the La Liga title, with the league leaders playing at home to third-placed Sevilla tomorrow (Apr. 22).

Getafe went ahead 2-1 in the 84th minute, but Real tied it up almost immediately and then Iker Casillas saved a Getafe penalty. Higuain then became the hero as he hammered a shot high into the corner of the net in injury time.

In Germany, Bayer Leverkusen scored three goals in extra time and beat second division team Mainz 4-1 to reach the German Cup final.  This was another game where late action decided it as Leverkusen went ahead in the 82nd minute but Mainz tied it in the 88th. Leverkusen will meet Hamburg SV or Werder Bremen in the final. They play each other tomorrow (Apr. 22nd).

Over in Italy it appears Juventus’ next home game, on May 3 against Lecce, will be played in an empty stadium as punishment for fans’ racial abuse of Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli on April 18th.  The 18-year-old was met with chants of “a black Italian does not exist” from some of the Juventus supporters. Balotelli was born in Palermo, but is of African descent.