Reds reach Wembley

Liverpool draw with Man City in second leg at Anfield

Last updated: 25th January 2012   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Liverpool v Manchester City Samir Nasri Daniel Agger Glen Johnson

Samir Nasri tries to escape the clutches of two Liverpool defenders

Bellamy Craig. scores for Liverpool v Manchester City

Craig Bellamy celebrates his goal as Liverpool make it through to the Carling Cup final

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Liverpool set up a Carling Cup final against Cardiff after playing out a thrilling 2-2 draw with Manchester City at Anfield to advance 3-2 on aggregate.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, City quickly drew level on aggregate thanks to a superb long-range strike from defensive midfielder Nigel de Jong that flew into the top corner.

Liverpool hit back before half-time when Micah Richards was harshly penalised for handball after a deflection off his leg onto the arm, and Steven Gerrard stepped up to score from the spot.

The Reds kept pushing forward at the start of the second half but a number of superb saves from Joe Hart prevented them from moving into a position of complete control.

City then grabbed a goal against the run of play on 67 minutes to make it 2-1 on the night, with Edin Dzeko converting an excellent Aleksandar Kolarov cross from close range.

Liverpool were not to be denied, though, as Craig Bellamy rounded off a flowing move with a fine finish in the 74th minute to leave City with it all to do in the closing stages.

Roberto Mancini's side battled hard in an effort to send the tie to extra time but the hosts held firm to book a spot at Wembley.

Initiative

Mancini's decision to start with three centre-backs - Joleon Lescott and Richards either side of the nervy Stefan Savic, with top scorer Sergio Aguero dropped to the bench - looked over-cautious and Liverpool seized the initiative.

Kolarov almost gifted Jose Enrique an opener in the fourth minute from a sliced clearance back across goal but Hart's outstretched foot block the left-back's shot and Stewart Downing screwed his follow-up volley wide.

Gerrard, tasked with a watching brief on David Silva, was booked for an early foul on Gareth Barry but it was the tackle of Charlie Adam on Dzeko from Silva's corner which could have done more damage to Liverpool but there were few City appeals for a penalty and referee Phil Dowd was unmoved.

Bellamy was Liverpool's most threatening outlet and he drew another save out of Hart after turning Savic on the edge of the box before having a goal disallowed for offside.

The home side dominated the opening half-hour but they were hit with a career-best goal from De Jong.

Having collected a square pass from Silva 30 yards out the trajectory of his sweetly-struck shot started outside Jose Reina's left-hand post but curled back enough to brilliantly beat the goalkeeper.

De Jong goals are a rarity - it was only his second in 118 appearances - but there was far more familiarity about the goal which put Liverpool back in front on aggregate.

Dowd generously decided Daniel Agger's shot which deflected up off Richards and on to his arm was a penalty and Gerrard, scorer from the spot in the first encounter, fired home to make it four consecutive goals in league cup semi-finals, having scored in both legs against Watford in 2005.

Threaten

Savic was replaced by Aguero for the second half as City reverted to a flat back four but Liverpool were first to threaten again as Gerrard whipped in a free-kick from the left and Hart half-punched only to redeem himself by tipping over Martin Skrtel's goalbound shot.

The England goalkeeper, as he had done in November's league draw at Anfield, superbly kept the Reds at bay again when he tipped over Downing's downward volley from Dirk Kuyt's cross.

Silva wasted a free-kick from the right after the Spaniard was booked for fouling Zabaleta but there could not have been a greater contrast with Kolarov's cross in the 67th minute.

The Serbian drilled a low ball from wide on the left across Liverpool's six-yard box for Dzeko, who had lost Agger, to tap in at the far post.

Liverpool have a habit of producing fairytale finishes under the Anfield floodlights and so it proved.

Kuyt's pass in from the right to Bellamy was laid off to Glen Johnson who immediately bounced the ball back to the Welshman who curled home with his left foot.

Having effectively had his City career ended by Mancini after a fall-out with the Italian, it is unlikely the delicious irony was lost on the 32-year-old.

Kuyt headed wide Henderson's cross before Bellamy departed to a standing ovation, with even some among the City fans applauding his efforts.

LiverpoolTeam StatisticsManchester City
2Goals2
11st Half Goals1
10Shots on Target4
6Shots off Target2
4Blocked Shots2
12Corners2
8Fouls10
6Offsides1
2Yellow Cards1
0Red Cards0
74.6Passing Success86.7
20Tackles12
65Tackles Success58.3
37.9Possession62.1
55.5Territorial Advantage44.5
334Total Passes587
36Total Crosses18
158Lost Balls167
56Recoveries50
40.51st Half Poss.59.5
35.12nd Half Poss.64.9
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Comments (36)

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Martin Bindon (Liverpool fan) says...

get in there the best team won on the night man city cant complain only one team playing first half should of made it easier with a couple more goal hart kept them in it for a bit anyway Hehe poor old Barry well maybe not so poor just like nasri and tevez hope uefa dock them points as well for the stadium naming joke they have set up

Posted 10:22 26th January 2012

Chris Walton (Stoke City fan) says...

City out of another cup - lovely.

Posted 09:21 26th January 2012

Ian Runci (Manchester City fan) says...

Beat again by yet another bad referee decision. Don't talk to me about respect referee's, it has to work both ways you know.

Posted 09:12 26th January 2012

Jeff B (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Well done Pool, a win for real football fans everywhere! I'm glad you beat those greedy arrogant mercenaries, and may they win nothing this season and be shown that sprit and heart win things, not bottomless pockets...

Posted 08:49 26th January 2012

Patel Killer (Arsenal fan) says...

I am an Arsenal fan but well done to Liverpool. They deserved the victory and Bellamy done brilliant for the team. They started brilliantly but HART kept CITY in the game throughout. Suarez will be back for the final so lets see if the reds can win the cup.

Posted 08:13 26th January 2012

Matthew James (Liverpool fan) says...

a good win for liverpool i do say man city played very good last night better then liverpool but but with short sharp bursts liverpool won and now with this moral booster with them then might just beat man utd on saturday Y.N.W.A

Posted 07:51 26th January 2012

Soh Cheowchye (Liverpool fan) says...

Fantastics for the reds to reached the league cup final . Hopefully the reds can win the cup for some senoir players like Dirk Kuyt ,Pepe Reina ,Craig Bellamy and others who have not achieve single cup honours at liverpool . However , the REDS is in need of reinforcement of top quality strkers to score goals to win matches . Too many chances is created and missed which resulted of many draws and lost . This may also cause liverpool their top four finish and lost of champion league revenues . LIVERPOOL must buy clinical finisher like RUSH .

Posted 06:58 26th January 2012

Matt Watson (Liverpool fan) says...

England have a very bright future with Joe Hart, but great result for Liverpool, can't wait to be at Wembley!!

Posted 03:10 26th January 2012

Simon Warner (Arsenal fan) says...

I'm not a Liverpool fan but i wish the team good luck at Wembley. It's been a while since they won silverware so even if they don't finsh 4th this season let them at least finish on a high, plus beat our rivals Man Utd in the cup. RasenGunner

Posted 02:58 26th January 2012

Unique Bond (Liverpool fan) says...

we had a bit of luck with the 2 pens tonight..the 1 we got was harsh on city.and thay should of got 1.but overall i think we were the better team on the night.we had lots of chances but we badly need another striker.well done to our lads tonight.and we have a good chance of a trothy now.but we need to show cardif the resect thay deserve.and play the game with the same attitude we did tonight.not like we did on saturday v bolton....come on liverpool.man u next up in the fa cup..another hard game. but if the work rate and comitment is there we have a good chance in that game too

Posted 01:15 26th January 2012

Terry Gallagher (Liverpool fan) says...

Any neutrals please read this report. What a totally biased version of the true events. Liverpool were superb throughout the whole game and city were spared embarassment only by Joe Hart , a great goal keeper. City only had two shots on goal yet the writer cant hide his biased version of events. What ever happened to fair, unbiased and neutral reporting ?

Posted 01:12 26th January 2012

Baber Ahmed (Liverpool fan) says...

So proud of Kenny and the boys tonight. Well done the owners too. Come on- now lets beat United and push for that Champions League spot. Please, the owners, put some more investment in and get us the right winger and extra striker we need to do it..... YNWA

Posted 01:01 26th January 2012

Karl R (Liverpool fan) says...

Bellamy was a God in that game!

Posted 00:52 26th January 2012

Dennis Wordsworth (Leeds United fan) says...

good reporting

Posted 00:02 26th January 2012

David Donnelly (Liverpool fan) says...

Wish the players could perform like this in the league against teams in the bottom half of the table. Nevertheless a very pleasing performance and now a good chance for silverware(even if it is the league cup). Hopefully this gives the players a confidence boost for United in the cup and remaining league games.YNWA

Posted 23:20 25th January 2012

Pete Gilbourne (Nottingham Forest fan) says...

well done liverpool, yet another major trophy final. if you keep this form up you'll get back into the big 6 in english football!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted 23:09 25th January 2012

Jo Sheehan (Liverpool fan) says...

Fantastic game! Well done lads you made us all very proud

Posted 23:08 25th January 2012

Mark Tracy (Manchester City fan) says...

yet again another strange refereeing decision!? before all scousers accuse me of whinging lets get one fact straight, liverpool deserved it over two legs .but their first goal came from a very dubiuos decision fr a penalty.micah slid in ,blocked the shot which then hit his hand,whilst going up in the air not towards goal.now before you all scream sour grapes ,i have one question to any liverpool fan who says it was a penalty,..what was the difference between this one and either skrtel or agger(1 of them) in the recent match at the etihad which we won 3-0 when the ball bounced off the liverpool players knee onto his hand ......ANSWER- that one was not given?!! so its not a gripe because you won but because referees are not consistent. ICOULD ALSO MENTION THE PENALTY ON DZEKO....but overall best team won

Posted 22:45 25th January 2012

Richard Broster (Liverpool fan) says...

What a game! Liverpool proved that they can beat the best as Man City were tremendous. Now they have to prove they can beat the normal middle of the road teams. Great to see how much it means to Kenny. All the doubters where are your comments now? Plastic supporters!! Go support Utd where u belong!!!

Posted 22:39 25th January 2012

Dublin red Hunt (Liverpool fan) says...

Great job for the reds! Lets do the double now on Saturday to the 2nd best team in manchester! We wish citeh well for the league! Next year it will be back. YNWA!

Posted 22:37 25th January 2012
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