Garcia had only been on the field a matter of minutes when he converted from close-range to seal a well-deserved 1-0 victory for the Reds.

Steven Gerrard had earlier saw his 32nd minute penalty-kick saved by Jens Lehman and despite enjoying near total domination it looked like being another frustrating night in front of goal as a succession of chances went begging until the diminutive Spaniard intervened.

It was a fitting performance on the night a new generation of Liverpool fans remembered the amazing achievements of former manager Bob Paisley. On the 10th anniversary of his death, Paisley's memory was honoured with a rapturous round of applause prior to kick-off.

In turn, the great man will have been impressed with what followed from his former club as he looked down from above to see them consolidate their position in the Champions League qualification places.

Rafael Benitez kept faith with the strike partnership of Robbie Fowler and Fernando Morientes as he made just one change to the team that started the weekend win over Wigan. Momo Sissoko was the new entry, replacing Dietmar Hamann in the centre of midfield, while at the heart of defence Jamie Carragher lined up for his 400th senior Reds appearance.

Liverpool went into the game holding a seven-point advantage over the fifth-placed Gunners and there was an air of confidence about their early play as they forced two corners inside the first five minutes.

Fowler then headed wide from a Riise cross with the first effort on goal but Arsenal responded through Kolo Toure who went even closer to opening the scoring minutes later with a free header at the Kop end that the Liverpool defence were relieved to see go behind.

In what was developing into an open contest Riise's left foot deliveries into the Gunners box offered hope of a deadlock-breaking goal and on the quarter hour Harry Kewell almost obliged with a low angled drive that whizzed inches past Jens Lehman's near post.

The Norwegian was seeing a lot of the ball at this stage and he soon had Lehman flying through the air in desperation has his powerful 25-yard strike whistled menacingly through a crowded penalty box and just beyond the far upright.

All the action was being played out in front of the Anfield Road end that Liverpool were attacking and Lehman did well to pull off a stunning save and spare the blushes of Philippe Senderos whose attempted headed clearance from a Gerrard cross seemed destined for the roof of the net.

As the Reds continued to apply the pressure Arsenal survived a penalty appeal after Gilberto looked to have handled in the area when protecting his face from a venomous Gerrard centre from the right.

Another eye-catching break saw Harry Kewell find space down the left but his ball across the face of goal was frustratingly wasted by Morientes who mis-kicked on the edge of the six-yard box.

Undeterred, the Spanish striker continued to toil away in attack and within minutes he won a penalty when shoved off the ball by Emmanuel Eboue. Unfortunately, Gerrard's spot-kick was pushed away by the inspired Lehman.

The former Real Madrid man was in the thick of the action but he will have been disappointed not to have done better with a powerless headed effort from a Fowler cross shortly before half-time.

The one-way traffic resumed after the interval and with the Kop baying for an opener Liverpool tore into their opponents once again. After just five minutes of the restart the crowd was on its feet as Fowler went agonisingly close with a low shot on the turn that Lehman somehow managed to palm away.

A token effort from Thierry Henry forced Jerzy Dudek into a stunning stop almost immediately but the possession pendulum continued to swing in Liverpool's favour and when a glancing header from Morientes sailed just past the post you could almost hear the huge sigh of relief from the visiting Arsenal fans.

With Gerrard heroically driving the Reds on, the surge towards the Gunners goal was unrelenting and Lehman had to be at his best for the umpteenth occasion when tipping an acrobatic overhead kick from Kewell around the post.

As time ticked by Djibril Cisse and Garcia were thrown on in a bid to prevent an unjust draw and when it looked as though time was running out up popped the latter to tuck away a vital winner.

Didi Hamann let fly with a rasping strike that Lehman could only parry and as Garcia raced in for the rebound the German keeper was finally beaten.

The Kop exploded with joy and the players ecstatically embraced to celebrate the completion of a job well done and round off a passionate Valentines date at Anfield.