Luis Suarez headed a dramatic late equaliser for Liverpool against Chelsea in a match that will be remembered for his bite on Branislav Ivanovic.

Oscar headed in a corner to put the visitors in front but Daniel Sturridge tapped in a Suarez cross to equalise.

An Eden Hazard penalty restored Chelsea's lead after a handball by Suarez, who bit defender Ivanovic's arm shortly afterwards.

Suarez then levelled in the 97th minute to leave Chelsea fourth in the league.

The Uruguayan guided in a header from Sturridge's cross deep into stoppage time but it is his bite on Ivanovic which will make the headlines.

The misdemeanour took place following his handball from a corner as his frustrations at conceding a spot-kick seemed to get the better of him.

It is not the first time he has committed such an offence: he was banned for seven games for biting PSV Eindhoven midfielder Otman Bakkal's shoulder while Ajax captain in 2010.

Referee Kevin Friend did not seem to see the incident but spoke to both players after they clashed, with Ivanovic trying to show the official a mark on his upper arm.

The incident will be the main talking point of the match, which saw former Reds manager and current Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez denied an important victory on his first return to Anfield since leaving the club in 2010.

The draw leaves Chelsea a point behind third-placed Arsenal, although they have a game in hand on the Gunners, and a point ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham.

The match was preceded by a minute's applause for Hillsborough campaigner Anne Williams, who passed away on Thursday, and those affected by the marathon attack on Boston, where Liverpool's club owners hail from.

When the action got under way, the Reds were the first to threaten as Glen Johnson combined with Jordan Henderson and Suarez on the way to toe-poking an effort wide.

However, it was Chelsea who made the breakthrough as Oscar scored with a near-post header from Juan Mata's corner following poor marking from Liverpool centre-back Daniel Agger.

Reds keeper Pepe Reina nearly gifted the visitors a second when he fumbled a long-range David Luiz free-kick before gathering the ball just before it crossed the goal-line.

The home side struggled to match the pace and purpose of Chelsea, although Liverpool almost equalised when Suarez ran on to a Stewart Downing pass and had an angled strike blocked by keeper Petr Cech.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, who was in charge of the Merseysiders for the 50th time, brought on Sturridge to try to work a way back into the game.

The move almost had an instant impact as the striker slid a pass through to release Steven Gerrard, whose goal-bound shot was smartly diverted wide by the outstretched leg of Cech.

Almost immediately, a rasping Sturridge strike beat Cech, only to thunder off the post before the home side's pressure paid off following a well-worked move.

Downing hooked a pass back to Suarez, whose first-time cross to the far post was side-footed in by Sturridge from close range.

No sooner had Liverpool got back on level terms than they were again behind. Suarez handled a corner and Hazard stepped up to send Reina the wrong way with his spot-kick.

Suarez then bit Ivanovic in the Chelsea area as a Liverpool attack fizzled out, although he escaped punishment at the time.

Chelsea were heading for the three points in the final minute of stoppage time, only for Suarez to nod in an equaliser. It was his 30th goal of the campaign but the focus is likely to be on the striker's conduct during the match rather than his playing exploits.