Liverpool face Chelsea in Champions semis

LIVERPOOL, England -- Champions League experts Liverpool swept into another all-English semifinal against Chelsea on Tuesday when they emphatically ended Arsenal's glory bid with a 4-2 second leg triumph at Anfield.

Ryan Babel sealed a dramatic 5-3 aggregate triumph for Liverpool who will be contesting their third semifinal in four years.

Liverpool beat Chelsea at the last-four stage in 2005 -- when they went on to lift the title for a fifth time -- and again in 2007.

A cooly-taken penalty by skipper Steven Gerrard scuppered Arsenal's hopes of going through on away goals after the north London side had drawn level 2-2 on the night.

Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard earned Chelsea a 2-0 victory over Turkish side Fenerbahce in their second leg at Stamford Bridge to put them into the last four 3-2 on aggregate.

Arsenal took the lead at Anfield when Abou Diaby surged into the box before crashing home a shot between Jose Reina and his near post in the 13th minute after some poor defending.

Veteran Sami Hyypia celebrated signing a new contract this week with the equalizer on the half-hour when he escaped the attention of Philippe Senderos and headed in a corner from Gerrard.

Then Arsenal suffered the blow of Mathieu Flamini being carried off after looking to have fallen awkwardly on an ankle. Gilberto came on after 40 minutes.

By then Liverpool looked a changed side; steaming forward, their confidence restored.

Fernando Torres put the hosts ahead in the 69th minute. Crouch's flick-on reached the Spanish striker in the box and Torres turned Senderos with ease before firing his shot into the top corner.

Arsenal were back in the driving seat after 84 minutes when Emmanuel Adebayor found the target after a spectacular run down the right by Theo Walcott from just outside his own area.

That would have been enough to send Arsenal through on away goals, but Gerrard scored from the spot a minute later after Kolo Toure pulled down Babel just inside the area.

"They held me a little bit and they tried to take a chunk of me," said Babel, who added to the lead in the second minute of time added on.

It was the third match between Arsenal and Liverpool in seven days. Besides the two legs of the Champions League, Liverpool drew 1-1 at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday.

Skipper Gerrard told ITV1: "That was possibly one of the worst performances I've ever put in in a Liverpool shirt. But I still had the confidence to score the penalty."

Asked if he thought Liverpool were worthy winners, Gerrard was diplomatic, saying: "It's difficult to say because it would be unfair on Arsenal. But over two legs we're a match for anyone."

The skipper paid tribute to the club's fans. "If those fans perform like that, it's a big help to us and other teams find it impossible," he said.

Those sentiments were echoed by Babel, who said: "They pulled out another level. It's like you play with 12 men."

Manager Rafael Benitez hailed his players' "confidence and belief".

"We were losing, we drew and afterwards we were losing again," he said. "We knew we need to work really hard and try and do the right things.

"At the end of the day, you must win, and we won."

Of the prospect of another semifinal against Chelsea, Benitez said: "We will try to enjoy it and after we will think about Chelsea."

Gerrard added: "We've got some big games coming up but we'll be ready for Chelsea."

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