The atmosphere was absolutely electric but the teams got off to a slow and steady start. After seven minutes, Adebayor raced onto a long through-ball as Jose Reina dashed out of his goal.
The Liverpool goalkeeper missed his attempted clearance, but was alert enough to recover ground and then block the follow-up cross from the Togo frontman.
At the other end, Cesc Fabregas had to do some defending in his own six-yard box to deny Sami Hyypia after he had stayed up front following a corner.
There was no escape for Liverpool when Arsenal took a deserved lead three minutes later through Adebayor.
Van Persie worked a short corner routine with Fabregas and crossed for Adebayor, who rose to head home, with Sami Hyypia hopelessly flat-footed and Reina helpless.
The home side's lead lasted only three minutes when Gerrard took advantage of some feeble challenges to drive into the area and cross for Kuyt to bundle home from inside the six-yard box.
Liverpool had a chance just after the restart, and Manuel Almunia needed to get down quickly to smother Kuyt's snapshot.
Arsenal introduced England squad man Theo Walcott, to replace van Persie, for the second half and the teenager looked lively down the left as Hleb was given more freedom in an advanced role.
Walcott picked up the ball and let fly from 25 yards, but his shot was always going wide of Reina's right-hand post.
Liverpool had an amazing escape after 65 minutes when Kuyt clearly dragged Hleb back by the arm as he raced into the area but Arsenal were understandably furious when Dutch referee Pieter Vink ignored their appeals.
Substitute Nicklas Bendtner then unwittingly cleared a Fabregas shot off the line but he had already been ruled offside.
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