A superb stoppage time winner by striker Neil Mellor gave Liverpool a dramatic 2-1 victory over struggling Premier League champions Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday.

Liverpool took a deserved first-half lead with a cracking shot from the edge of the area by Spanish playmaker Xabi Alonso, but Arsenal looked to have earned a draw after skipper Patrick Vieira knocked in a 57th minute equaliser.

However, Mellor's last-gasp drive consigned Arsenal to their second league defeat of the season and handed title rivals Chelsea a commanding five-point lead at the top.

Earlier, Everton ground out a 1-1 draw at Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur ended a run of six league defeats with a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over 10-man Middlesbrough.

Chelsea, who thrashed Charlton Athletic 4-0 on Saturday, are top of the table on 36 points. Arsenal stay second on 31 points, while Everton remain third, a point further back.

The main attraction on Sunday was at Anfield, where Liverpool bossed the first half and Arsenal looked to have secured a deserved point for their second half-display.

Mellor, playing only because of injuries to regular strikers Djibril Cisse and Milan Baros, rose to the occasion though with his first Premier League goal -- a thundering shot on the bounce from 25 metres out.

"Fantastic result and a fantastic game for all the supporters," Liverpool's Spanish manager Rafael Benitez told Sky Sports.

"The players ran a lot and tried to do all the things we prepared during the week. All I can say is congratulations.

"It's only three points, but against a very, very good team it's more important for the confidence."

The result is another bodyblow to Arsenal, whose season has rapidly been turning sour since their record 49-match unbeaten league run was ended by Manchester United on October 24.

CHAMPIONS BATTLE

Arsenal, who are also battling to qualify for the Champions League knockout stage, have taken just six points from a possible 18 on domestic duty and would have ended Sunday in third place had Everton won their game at St James' Park.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: "The way we lost the game is difficult (to take). After a difficult first half I felt we played much better in the second, we always tried to go forward and to score.

"When there's 30 seconds to go, you think you're going to get a point and we'd worked very hard for it...At the moment, everything is going against us."

In the day's first game, Newcastle made an ideal start when Wales striker Craig Bellamy worked a neat one-two with Dutch partner Patrick Kluivert and sped through to score after only five minutes.

Further chances went begging for Newcastle before Everton midfielder Lee Carsley curled a spectacular free kick over their wall in the 56th minute, while Bellamy had a close-range shot blocked in the closing minutes at St James' Park.

Spurs were helped to their much-needed victory at White Hart Lane by a red card five minutes before the break for Boro's French defender Franck Queudrue.

They capitalised four minutes after the re-start when England striker Jermain Defoe fired home and Mali international Frederic Kanoute sealed the victory in the 76th minute.