Beckham merchandise is a global industry

The game was of massive significance 巨大的意义 to the title race as a win would have taken Liverpool four points clear at the top, while Arsenal needed victory to maintain any realistic chance of winning the league.

There was controversy 争论，争议 in the highly competitive 竞争非常激烈的 game as Arsenal’s star striker Emmanuel Adebayor was red-carded 被红牌罚下 for a dangerous tackle 抢球动作 on a Liverpool defender.

Fair play?  I cannot say he [Arbeloa] cheated, but what he did was not fair play at all. The defender threw himself on the floor as if I put a knife in him.   Emmanuel Adebayor, Arsenal

Adebayor himself was defiant 挑衅的 following his sending off, describing the Liverpool player’s actions as "not fair play 公平的比赛 at all".

"The defender threw himself on the floor as if I had put a knife in him," continued Adebayor, meaning that the Liverpool player had over-exaggerated 过于夸张的 the effect of the tackle in order to get the referee to act against Adebayor.

The result may spell the end of Arsenal’s title ambitions （获得）联赛头衔的野心, but Liverpool’s deputy manager says Arsenal are not finished yet.

Sammy Lee said, "I don’t think we have knocked Arsenal out 将阿森纳踢出（争夺联赛头衔的比赛） of the title race. I have too much respect for Arsenal to say that."

Elsewhere in European football, an English legend 传奇人物 returned to this side of the Atlantic for a short two-month tour of duty 任期.

On Monday David Beckham joined Italian super-club AC Milan on loan 被借的 during the close season 非赛季 for his American team, LA Galaxy.

Options open  I needed to be able to be playing top-flight football to keep myself fit, to keep myself in contention for other things that are going on.   David Beckham, AC Milan

Beckham needs to maintain match fitness 最佳竞技状态 if he is to keep his place in the England squad.

"I needed to be able to be playing top-flight 第一流的，最高的 football to keep myself fit, to keep myself in contention 竞争 for other things that are going on," Beckham told a Milan news conference on Saturday.

Although AC Milan are delighted to have Beckham on board, not least for the merchandising revenue 销售收入（这里指销售印有贝克汉姆的球衣和其它纪念品), the club’s chief executive has told fans to be realistic about Beckham’s stay.

"David Beckham will stay with Milan up to 9 March. I don’t want to delude 欺骗 anyone," said chief executive Adriano Galliani.

However, Galliani was optimistic that the arrangement could work well in the future.

"We hope Beckham leaves an indelible mark 不可磨灭的痕迹. Next year we could repeat the experience, maybe for longer," said Galliani.