Kenny was rightly proud of the team after Wednesday and was quick to say the achievement was for the fans. However, any further feedback or navel gazing is quickly diluted as we swiftly move on today’s tie against The Mancs in the FA Cup fourth round. Despite securing a trip to Wembley, Wednesday will be nothing but a support act for this which has always been a colossus of a match. FA Cup, Premiership or just a “friendly” kick about Liverpool v The Mancs is “it” for many.

This tie has added resonance because Luis Suarez Patrice Evra and all that. Will the fans hold back over this? Fergie has written to Mancs ticket holders asking them to behave however this is in relation to securing increased allocation because it’s beyond the Mancs fans to sit down in the seat they have purchased, let the stewards do whatever they have to do and just watch the game. Nothing has been mentioned in the letter about the Suarez Evra race thing which is consistent with Fergie’s refusal to take up our offer of peace talks. His comments the other day merely urged his fans to be

“positive, witty and loud”

However yesterday he bowed to expectation and said

“As Steven Gerrard said yesterday, there is a responsibility on the players to behave properly and also both sets of fans. We want to make sure we are talking about the game, nothing else.”

Ian Ayre also tried defuse any potential problems.

“We mustn’t detract from fans chanting and singing at each other but it needs to be a rivalry thing rather than a hatred thing.”

Perhaps Mr Ayre wouldn’t need to issue such statements had he and his colleagues handled the Suarez situation with a tad more common sense and tact? Instead we are shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted, disappeared over the horizon, lived for a good thirty years and ended up in the knacker’s yard! Why weren’t such statements issued years before when there was a genuine viciousness amongst both set of fans?

I’ve no doubt that if Suarez had been found “not guilty” then the Liverpool fans would have let Patrice Evra have with both barrels. He will get it anyway just as Suarez will when he next plays against The Mancs. This is part and parcel of the job and this fixture and Ian Ayre is deluded in the extreme if he thinks his words are going to change anything. Quite frankly I don’t care, I’ve seen and heard stuff at Liverpool Mancs games, from both sides, that will make your ears and eyes bleed, especially in the 1980’s. Nothing that is served up today will amaze me and my advice to Mr Ayre is plug your ears and or get over it. As for Fergie he has been involved these sort of games for too long to genuinely expect his comments to be heeded?

To the game and the obvious thing is to build on Wednesday’s performance. Although it was 2-2, the first time we have conceded more than one goal at home this season, the psychological boost is obvious. However, this is a cup tie so anything could happen but if we use league form as guide we should prepare ourselves for another home drawn and then a victory in the replay! I guess all we can do is keep plugging away and hope that the chances we create are converted, surely our luck will change or have we got past that stage now?

A repeat of Wednesday’s attitude as opposed to last Saturday’s at Bolton is required. In the league game, which was drawn 1-1 (click here for match report), we were the better side as has been the case for most of our home games. The incentive is there, with the Mancs’ neighbours already out of the cup victory over the Cities’ other team would certainly enhance our chances of progressing further? The Mancs form has been up and down however, I guess, when you look at their league position, this is all relative? Nonetheless I don’t there is anyone connected with Liverpool, be it players, staff or fans, who feels we have anything to fear from them?

Team wise and I guess the question for many is will Patrice Evra play however that is the Mancs concern. For us I wonder if Kenny will risk Craig Bellamy for his third game in a week? If reports about his knee and how, up until now, he has been used sparingly as result are true, I suspect not. Presumably this opens the door for Andy Carroll and perhaps this is just the sort of “blood and guts” game he will enjoy? Carroll and all the other players who are out of form, or have flitted in out of the side, will surely need no encouragement with a Wembley place up for grabs? Jay Spearing is back which, if he plays, might free Gerrard up and allow him to go forward more often?

Prediction? Do you think I’m going to say anything other than a Liverpool win? We’ve had a bit of luck recently, the penalty on Wednesday and the same referee not noticing Charlie Adam’s “tackle” on Dzeko, however, this should not detract from what was a deserved win over the two legs. Perhaps the Mancs will be fresher having not played midweek however, with one Manchester scalp, the desire and confidence will surely be there for the double? 2-1 to us.

Liverpool 2
Gerrard (41) (pen) Bellamy (74)

Manchester City 2
De Jong (31), Dzeko (67)

(Liverpool win 3-2 on agg)

This is Have you ever been to Liverpool’s thousand post so it’s a pleasure to be writing in a positive way about the team getting through to their first domestic cup final since I began this nonsense in the winter of 2006.

During those thousand bits of “writing” we have had some up and downs, off the pitch (talk about understatement) and very, very tense nights, particularly in the Champions League, on it. Although this game wasn’t as nail biting it gave them good run as it ding donged, switching from one team to the other.

City pulled us back twice and even when we got our nose’s in front for the second time and when added time was being played, one still felt there might be a sting in the tail!. However, we remained resilient, serving up a pleasing combination of positive attacking play and resolute defending. In short Liverpool deserved it and as fans we can take compensation from Saturday’s defeat. We are on the way to Wembley and, Cardiff exile and rebuild allowed, it’s been sixteen long years since we’ve been able to say that.

I guess this was Craig Bellamy’s night. Tonight he was in Doctor Jekyll mode scoring the vital goal that made the difference and scampering about as if his life depended on it. Perhaps he was inspired at the prospect of a final against his home town club? It was also an inspired move from Kenny to pit him against Savic. The City defender was given a torrid time, dogged by the Welshman from the start until he was “hooked” for Aguero at half time.

We began positively however, once again Joe Hart proved why he is England’s first choice goalkeeper. He kept us at bay in the league game and last night, despite scoring two goals at the other end, his team mates have him to thank that they were in the game right until the end of it. In the first half Hart produced terrific saves from Enrique, Adam and Bellamy bringing up familiar worries about our inability to take our chances. These were compounded when an off balance De Jong still managed to curl an impressive long range effort past Reina. It was sloppy goal, the “midfield moths” were attracted to Silva’s “headlights” all the Spaniard needed to do was square the ball to De Jong who did the rest, despite Gerrard’s last gasp lunge.

So all square but for only ten minutes. Controversy and Manchester City never seem too far away it usually involves a dodgy (in their eyes at least) refereeing decision and tonight it happened again. Agger’s shot was blocked by Richards but the ball bounced up onto his hand. A deliberate act or something Richards could do nothing about, he was only about four feet away? Nonetheless we’ll take it and that was what Gerrard did with the resulting penalty, which was to Hart’s right again just it was in the first leg.

The second half also began brightly with Hart having to work hard again. He failed to hold Kuyt’s rasping drive and was lucky that the ball found safety. He redeemed himself by saving Skrtel’s toe poke and Downing’s effort from Kuyt’s cross. Again it looked as if City might make us pay as they edged in front again. This time it was Dzeko who got on the end of Kolarov’s low hard cross. Johnson and Skrtel couldn’t cut it out probably because of the speed however, Agger should have stayed closer to the scorer?

I have to admit that by now I thought that was going to be that. All those chances over the two legs but we were still reliant on spot kicks, surely now City would assume control? However, we were not be denied Kuyt embarked on a arcing run into the danger area, fed Bellamy who exchanged a slick one two with Johnson before neatly finding space to despatch a low shot past Hart’s flailing right hand.

After that it was nerve racking truncated repeat of the final part of the first leg with us getting plenty of men behind the ball. City tried to prise us open however, and not for the first time in this tie, they were valiantly thwarted. As “You’ll Never Walk Alone” tumbled down from The Kop the game was up. At the end Kenny puffed out his cheeks. Was it in relief? Perhaps so but surely there was a huge dose of pride in there as well?

Walk on…

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Jose Enrique, Agger, Skrtel, Gerrard, Henderson, Downing, Adam, Kuyt (Carroll 90+1), Bellamy, (Kelly 88) Substitutes: Doni, Coates, Carragher, Kelly, Maxi, Shelvey, Carroll

Manchester City: Hart, Richards, Zabaleta, Lescott, Kolarov, Savic (Aguero 46), Barry, Nasri, Silva, De Jong (Johnson 78), Dzeko Substitutes: Pantilimon, Clichy, Rekik, Milner, Johnson, Hargreaves, Aguero

Att: 44,590

The last time we “graced” the Carling Cup final was the year before against Chelsea. This was in the same year we won the Champions League. Is it any coincidence that we have advanced this far in the competition in a year when we are out of Europe, priorities and all that? We lost on that day (2-3) however on the whole this is a tournament that has been kind to us. We’ve appeared in ten finals and won seven of them, this is still a record. Overcome tonight’s hurdle and many, with due respect to Cardiff City, will expect to see us increase that to eight. However, this is a weight of expectation that can dealt with if it needs to be dealt with suffice to say we are not there yet and this tie is far from over, very far from over.

I guess through not being in Europe the Carling Cup has taken on increased importance for us this season. Even so perhaps it would have been tempting not to give it the full attention in the earlier rounds but we are now at the stage, one game away from the final, were it seems to be as serious as any game or competition. We’ve had to work fairly hard to get here beating Stoke and Chelsea and none of our ties have been at Anfield actually, come to think of it, perhaps that is just as well given our league form there!

Although we have a 1-0 lead, thanks to Steven Gerrard’s penalty at the Etihad – click here for match report, the clubs go into this tie with mixed fortunes. City must be buoyed by their vital win against Spurs on Sunday a psychological blow in terms of the title which is also matched by the return of David Silva, who was missing from the first leg due to injury? We on the other hand come into this game off the back of probably our worst performance of the season, a weak 3-1 capitulation to Bolton.

Looking back over my match report of this game I began to think that perhaps I was a tad eager to criticise the team. Maybe I should support them more, encourage then constructively, what is there to be gained through criticism? However, sometimes you just snap and lose patience I guess I can take some solace from the fact that Kenny also saw fit pull down protective barriers and let the team have it! Perhaps, with his rare public criticism ringing in their ears, this will be the ideal opportunity for the players to bounce back and show everyone what we, and they, know they can do. If Kenny’s words have any resilience they should deliver as this is the game that was allegedly distracting them at the Reebok? I wouldn’t necessarily say that tonight they owe to the fans after Saturday but it would be a gratefully received gesture!

A repeat of the defensive performance against Bolton will surely see us done for? Bolton made us pay and, with respect, they are no City. Saturday’s performance was in stark contrast to that of the first leg where having taken the game to City and got our goal, we shut up shop for the final part of the game and held them at bay. Hopefully we will see similar tenacity and organisation tonight? I see why we can’t, on the whole the defence has been our saving grace this season helping out our impotency in front of goal with some decent performances, I therefore prefer to think of the Bolton performance as an “out of character” aberration!

Tactically I guess we have something of a conundrum. City have to attack to turn the tie around so it’s almost pre-defined for them. For us it is a trying to strike a tricky balance of protecting what we have and perhaps killing off the game with another goal, not an easy task for us these days! Perhaps we will see a repeat of the first leg with us taking the game to City and then battening down the hatches in the final bit, then there is the issue of any goal that City should score in extra time counting double? Whatever the case I don’t fancy us trying to defend for ninety minutes, not after Saturday anyway!

Team wise and although City have Silva back, Kompany is still banned. Presumably Savic, who looked shaky in the first leg, will continue to deputise. The Toure’s are in Africa (sounds like your neighbours who have gone on holiday!) and Mario Balotelli may miss out if he decides not to appeal against his Sunday stamp, I am the only one who thinks he was trying to get out of the way? For us Jay Spearing remains a doubt but one wonders what changes Kenny will make after Saturday? Maybe it’s not the right time but he must be tempted to make a few if only to give those he regarded as underperforming a lesson?

Prediction? Tactically we fielded a defensive line up in the league against City however, despite flooding the field with defenders towards the end of the game, the opening line up for the first leg was fairly positive. So I guess there is no real point in trying to predict our approach, just as long as we get something from the game? I believe we will via a 1-1 draw however, I have a feeling that it could be a long and tortuous night, sit tight kept the faith!

Liverpool 1
Bellamy (37)

I guess you could be forgiven looking at this game in the context of the way the media present the product. Christ, to think we’ve come to this, football is a “product”!

Liverpool have lost and are way behind in the chase. But for what? I don’t know nor do I particularly care. Let’s get real, bottom, sixth or seventh place, so what! What galls me is obvious underachievement and seemingly half arsed “couldn’t care lass” attitude we saw in this game. No doubt those involved on Saturday, if they ever stoop so low as to read this, will disagree, but that is what it seemed like to me. Moreover there appeared to be an arrogance and disrespect for Bolton that, despite their league position, was gleefully picked up and thrown back in our face. We deserved it.

Perhaps underneath there is something else, a lack of ability or professionalism, that means we let games like this slip because we nether have the intelligence, ability, pragmatism or application to make it go our way? In a perfect world of course we would win every game we are expected to win however that is slowly becoming a shorter list. Bolton have the lowest goal scoring record in the league. That’s all the leagues we seem to classify as leagues plus a few other others that occasionally get covered during the FA Cup. They might raise their game and perhaps our eyes were on the Carling Cup semi second leg however, there is no excuse for approaching a game in such an apparent half arsed “this is beneath me” manner.

One of the many, many struts that holds up Kenny Dalglish as being the man he is has been his loyalty, to this club and most specifically in this case, his players. So when he comes out and actually criticises them those in red shirt they should sit up a take notice. There have been more white Christmas’s recently than Kenny, to use a term that is more on their level, “dissing” his players so those who played on Saturday with any regard beyond the weekly pay check, should sit up and take note.

“The most disappointing thing for me was I don’t think they were ready to play the game. If they needed a lesson to be taught to them then this was it. If they think they can just turn up and get a result and not be competitive and not match the opposition for effort, then they have had a lesson today. It is built on the philosophy that the next game is the most important one, not the one that is two or three down the line. If they needed a lesson to be taught to them then this was it.”

These are unique words from Kenny. The problem is with this lot is, and I’m sorry if I keep repeating myself, is I don’t even think they realise what Kenny has done and the significance of it. They are to young to “know their history”. Perhaps it’s generational thing nonetheless if any of the players have any self respect, regardless of what Kenny says, then they should shape up. I guess what I’m trying to say, having clumsily reeled off three or four paragraphs of diatribe is that Saturday’s performance was not good enough. Even if you disregard Kenny’s standards as a “that was then but this is now” stance it was still poor, poor, poor and very, very poor indeed, not mention poor and let’s add some more poor to the description followed by another poor….. poor, poor, poor, poor, poor OK that’s enough!

Our lack of potency in front of goal has been there for all to see this season. Thankfully the defence has been mean enough to ensure that we are were we are however, inevitably the back four are occasionally going to have an off day and when this happens and the forwards continue to wallow in their own malaise, then you are going to get results like this?

It was sorry parade of errors. Agger and Johnson (please, please, please see previous blogs why do we keep playing him in defence?) indulging in a bout of unprofessional “gentleman’s excuse me” to let an incredulous Davies to run through and score. Next it was Nigel Reo Coker’s turn to get in front of Johnson and Agger again without fear of challenge and then Steinsson as a result of the old chestnut of not defending set pieces properly. In between Bellamy responded for us but his shot, it dribbled over the line, was just as unimpressive as his childish inability to control himself. He and Reo-Coker clearly have a history but Bellamy never learns and, given the result, his gobsh*te behaviour towards the Bolton player was the last thing we needed. Bellamy has done well since he returned to us however his finger, in some kind of narcissistic, warped way, always seems to be constantly hovering above the “self destruct” button?

So where are we now? It’s difficult to say. By this time next week we could be on a high having beaten Manchester City to get through to the Carling Cup final and then their neighbours on Saturday in the FA Cup. Nice stuff if it happens, personally I don’t think it will but it’s just the sort of thing we’ll do. However, Sunderland, Norwich, Swansea, Wigan., Blackburn, Stoke and now this, the players are kidding no one. Kenny appears to have the whip out. He doesn’t need to prove himself to anyone, he can walk away tomorrow so it’s pride and attitude and doing the right thing in his mind. Those players who think they can take the pi*s out of him should be afraid, very afraid!

Bolton: Bogdan, Steinsson, Knight, Ricketts, Wheater, Muamba, Eagles (Tuncay 90+1), Petrov, M Davies, Reo-Coker, Ngog (K Davies 88), Substitutes: Lynch, Boyata, Riley, Pratley, Tuncay, K Davies, O’Halloran

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Jose Enrique, Agger, Skrtel, Gerrard, Maxi (Kuyt 64), Henderson, Adam (Downing 64), Carroll, Bellamy, Substitutes: Doni, Coates, Carragher, Kelly, Downing, Shelvey, Kuyt

Att: 26,854

The January window was a rather quiet affair for us until last year’s activity which quite frankly took everyone by surprise. Ironically it is one of our signings in the last window, Andy Carroll, who seems to be a centre of most of this window’s rumours.

There is the rumour about Carroll leaving us, to go back to Newcastle it seems, for what, one guesses, would be a fee considerably less than the £35m we paid to “prise” him way from them? Quite why we would want to sell Carroll when we have Luis Suarez suspended seem to be an important fact lost on those who are reporting this nonsense.

I guess of course there would be more credibility if we were buy a replacement for Carroll? Various names have been mentioned and Jermaine Defoe and Darren Bent seem to be at the front of the queue. Defoe wants to leave Spurs because Harry Redknapp isn’t playing him and this is heightened by his need for first team football in the run up to Euro 2012. The papers have even seen fit to quote fee, 10million of our British pounds no less. The Marcus Bent rumours is down to fact that it’s the transfer window and whenever there is a transfer window there is a rumour about Marcus Bent!

In the need to cover all the bases the papers have also suggested that Luis Suarez, no doubt chased by recent events, will also seek the exit door. Real Madrid have been wheeled in as potential suitors and £29m is the fee. Even allowing for the fact that Suarez might want to leave, there is the question of the fee which is, quiet frankly, taking the Miguel.

So that’s a new forward line for the beginning of February, Defoe and Bent and but let’s not leave it there, let’s start hacking at the midfield by bringing in Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha and Spurs’ Aaron Lennon. Zaha who is has been dubbed by various papers as a “young starlet” and “teenage sensation” a football equivalent of Justin Bieber perhaps. There are plenty of other clubs in the running for Zaha but surely if Palace get to the Carling Cup Final that will be it until the summer?

As for Aaron Lennon the thing that struck me first when I read about this was this quote from The Echo.

“It is believed Liverpool have had their eyes on Lennon for some time, under the advice of director of football Damien Comolli from his time at Spurs”

Leaving aside whether we should sign Lennon or not one wonders just what we are paying Damien Comolli for. Suggesting we sign Lennon is hardly a new thing? Surely we should expecting Comolli to undercover a nugget from the lower divisions or some far flung foreign field that we can sign for pittance and then sell onto Barcelona or Real Madrid or, if we are really lucky, Manchester City once he gets bored with us for about a thousand times the money we paid for him? Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to work? What next, Comilli has been studying Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinaind? If you are watching Mr Henry pay me half, no a third of Comilli’s salary and I’ll tell you about the likes of Aaron Lennon has he’s on the TV playing for Spurs nearly every week. Next Comolli advises us to take an umbrella as it’s raining outside!

With hindsight I’m probably being hard on Comolli I suspect these rumours aren’t worth the paper they are printed on, they are just there to fill space and stir up idle interest? I suspect we will have a quiet transfer window this time having bought so many new players recently and will see Kenny persevere and be patient with what he has?

“You have to be patient with every new player who comes in. You have to be patient with the older ones at times as well, like we did with Stevie (Gerrard) coming back. Patience is important but the most important thing is having the ability to play and everyone in our squad has the ability to play.”

Perhaps such patience will be rewarded at The Reebok Stadium today, note clumsy attempt to segway into a new subject? Every game is an opportunity but with Arsenal playing The Mancs and City playing Spurs there should be the opportunity to make up some of the ground we’ve lost recently, if we win? I hesitate to write in this way as we now stand in sixth place and talk about making ground on the likes of City and The Mancs at present sounds a bit like my son the other day who suggested my other half should go on Masterchef because she “cooked” him “a really nice meal” – it was fish fingers and chips!

Bolton’s form this season has been dreadful and below expectations, they have got seven points from their last fifteen. Which probably means a draw as that is what we do against these sides! Actually their record isn’t too far away from what we’ve got. I guess we might have half an eye on the Carling Cup semi final second leg? Even if we do one hopes Kenny’s side doesn’t reflect this. Surely we are far better of starting strongly to try and win the game and then take players off?

Team wise it looks as if we will be without Jay Spearing after his injury in the first leg but Daniel Agger looks good for a return. Bolton of course have David Ngog in their ranks which, if fate has anything to do with it, suggests he will probably achieve for them against us what he consistency failed to do when he was with us!

Prediction? It’s all very well talking about where we are in relation to other teams however for ourselves we need a win if only to boost confidence and help erase the malaise of not making our chances count. I take us to do this by 2-0.

Stoke City 0

Yet another stalling on the home front and another chance to make progress, as others falter, blown.

Although we are still unbeaten at Anfield this is our seventh draw out of eleven home games. It is a cold fact especially as many of the sides we’ve drawn against are ones you would expect us to beat. Once again we seemed to be wanting in the final third. In previous home games it’s been converting the chances, and there have been many, on Saturday it was creating them.

Stoke set us the task of trying to get through them and we failed being limited, for the most part, to long range efforts. It’s wrong to complain about the way Stoke set themselves up, they can do want they want and for them I’m sure the ends justified the means. It is clearly up to us to try deal with the problem they present us besides they were only doing what we did at in the final part of Wednesday’s semi final?

Much of the focus for this will, unjustly perhaps, be on Andy Carroll however, this is a “malaise” that stretches much further back to days when Carroll wasn’t in the team be either through injury or form. If goals are not coming from the front two them you look to the rest of the squad to chip in sadly this hasn’t really happened and too many of midfield, although putting in the effort, seem to have a frustrated rabbit in the headlights “what do I do now” demeanour every time they get near the goal.

The story of being one of teams with the most shots in the Premiership yet with the fewest goals says it all, hells teeth Blackburn and Bolton have scored more! There is only so much you can blame on one individual or bad luck before you start to look elsewhere for the reason behind this? Perhaps Kenny and Steve Clarke will sit back and look at the system. Kenny’s post match comments were as near to, dare I say it, criticising the team, albeit in a mild way, as I have heard from him in a very long time. The sad thing is that he is right…

“The responsibility was on us to be more imaginative to break them down and we didn’t manage to do it. The couple of opportunities we got we didn’t take and in a game like that you have to take them.”

One wonders what we will do? Perhaps we are already trying, Kenny’s choice of line up for this match was a talking point. A five man defence which in the absence of Agger saw Carragher recalled along with Coates which presumably gave Enrique and Johnson licence to push up and provide for Carroll however he was dropped to the bench in favour of Kuyt who has scored no goals since the end of last season.

You’ve probably seen the game now but if you didn’t it would be easy to conjure up a picture in your minds eye, as it is a familiar pattern. Plenty of possession for us, against a well organised Stoke defending stoutly and us labouring to cut through them with the anxiety, on the pitch and in the stands, growing as the clock ticked down. There were a few long range efforts, from Downing and Henderson, and at the death Kuyt and Skrtel had a great opportunities to win it but their respective headers were wide and at the keeper. Carroll, when he came on, was involved in number of penalty appeals largely it seems with Huth who a one stage had him in some form of Vulcan death grip or head lock! However, to use this an excuse to say we were robbed would be pushing things to the extreme. Yes, it’s churlish to complain in a week when we have made good progress in two cup competitions but its so dam frustrating that we can’t get right in the Premiership when we are more than capable of doing so?

Kenny describes the current situation as “work in progress” however, on the home front we appear to be stuck in a rut, unable to convert the undoubted promise and good play we are showing (most of the time) into results. It hardly needs saying that these draws could be difference between where we finished last season and somewhere higher. Surely things will turn around and the results will match the effort however, with the transfer window, open perhaps Kenny me might be tempted to give things a helping nudge?

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Jose Enrique, Coates, Carragher, Skrtel, Gerrard, Henderson (Bellamy 74), Downing (Carroll 58), Adam, Kuyt Substitutes: Doni, Aurelio, Kelly, Flanagan, Shelvey, Carroll, Bellamy,

Stoke: Sorensen, Huth, Shawcross, Woodgate (Wilkinson 78), Whelan, Wilson, Delap, Etherington (Fuller 87), Palacios (Whitehead 62), Walters, Crouch, Substitutes: Begovic, Wilkinson, Pennant, Whitehead, Jones, Fuller, Jerome

Att: 44,691

At work on Thursday morning everyone was talking to me as if the Carling Cup was already on our sideboard. It hardly needs saying that the semi final is a long from over, let alone the final if we manage to reach it.

For City the task is clear and simple. They need to come out at Anfield and attack if they don’t, they will go out. We, despite home “advantage” will have more of a dilemma, defend our lead or, as in the tradition of the home team, go forward and hopefully kill the tie off. Whatever the case I believe there will be more thrills, spills and heartaches,

Part of the fallout from Wednesday concerned Glen Johnson’s two footed tackle on Joleon Lescott. Steven Gerrard, clearly living up to his proposed post retirement role of Club Ambassador, clashed with City manager Roberto Mancini over this! Gerrard is clearly right in the sense that it would be hypocritical for Mancini to try and get Johnson sent off when he accused Wayne Rooney of trying to get Kompany sent off in City’s FA Cup game against the Mancs. I don’t know what Mancini’s take on this was. Perhaps his main beef was the inconsistency of referees and about how one player can see red whilst another, who commits what he feels is a worse or equal offence, can get off scot free? In arguing that it could easily be interpreted as wanting the player to get punished?

The issue of course is not about Kompany and Johnson’s punishments or “non punishments” nor is it about what Mancini or Gerrard says. It is about the law and the inconsistency of referees in the way they interpret it. To suggest that a two footed tackle is worse than a one footed and, should be an automatic sending off, is not necessary true, both can be just as dangerous. Both Johnson and Kompany won the ball cleanly without major contact so no damage done and so, if referees applied a degree of commonsense, no punishment warranted? Sadly the rules seem to leave no option for such an approach. Kenny said

“There’s always an interpretation of what the tackle is but I would have thought that, if it’s a tackle, then there has got to be a challenge. If I’m sliding in to clear the ball and there’s no challenge, then it’s not a tackle, is it? If someone is straight in front of me and I’m sliding in, then that’s a tackle as someone is trying to challenge me. If you come in from behind and there’s someone between you and the ball, then it’s the same thing. But if there’s a clear pitch in front of you and you can reach the ball, then reach it. People say he was showing his studs but you always have to show studs when you slide in.”

So that’s clear then!

So to Stoke and I have to admit that with the Oldham and City cup games, I’ve fallen into the trap of forgetting about the Premiership. Perhaps the team have as well and will go into today’s game refreshed and ready to take on the final run in with renewed vigour! Let’s be realistic, it will take a staggering collective collapse from the teams above us if we are to get back into the title race, but hope springs eternal! A Champions league spot is certainly within our grasp and therefore a more realistic target?

Stoke have given us an up and down time since they rejoined to the top flight. We beat them well at home, which bodes well for today, but always seem to crumble or be unlucky at their place. However, under Kenny things have improved we won at home last season and in the Carling Cup (click here for match report) and although they beat us in the league at their place, thanks to a dubious penalty, we battered them and were unlucky not to take something from the game (click here for this match report). Hopefully we can build on the Newcastle win having already made up for the last league defeat with was of course against Manchester City?

Team wise it seems that Jay Spearing’s hamstring injury was serious so he won’t start. Charlie Adam came on for him on Wednesday so presumably he will keep his place? I was surprised that Enrique was dropped on Wednesday and the BBC website suggests it was for tactical reasons I can only guess we wanted Kelly and Johnson to push up more but then again Enrique, who has been one of our best players this season, is no shrinking violet when it comes to bombing up the pitch?

Presumably Andy Carroll will start again? I felt a tad sorry for him on Wednesday. He was playing the loan striker role so opportunities were limited and, under the circumstances, did reasonably well however I guess there will no excuses this time? Stoke bring back Peter Crouch and Jermaine Pennant but an awful lot of water has gone under the bridge since they left so their experience as ex Reds, and what they can bring to Stoke’s approach, will be limited?

Prediction? Stoke have won three out of their last four Premiership away games and only lost one out of their last eight. However, they’ve only scored eight Premiership away goals this season. We have only lost twice in fifteen games. Pick something out of that lot! Sod it, of course I’m going to predict a win. 2-0 to us.

Manchester City 0

Liverpool 1
Gerrard (13 pen)

A fine, fine performance which evoked memories away legs in the glorious, pre Champions League, European nights of old by edging in front and then stifling or frustrating the life out of the opposition. At the end it was death by a thousand blocks and tackles Hansen and Lawrenson, who were at the game on BBC duty, must have loved it!

Those who think it was negative, we had around half a dozen defenders on the pitch when the full time whistle blew, in the second half should remember this is a game of two legs, Kenny knows it, and like his mates, he’s been there. However let’s not be premature, this won’t amount to a hill of beans if we don’t finish the job off at Anfield?

Kenny made a few changes. Kelly came in at right back, Johnson moved over to the left and Enrique was benched (no, I don’t know either). Further up Gerrard started, Bellamy replaced Kuyt presumably to try and support Carroll in the loan striker role, when he could?

We got off to the perfect start with a succession of chances. Carroll got things moving turning Savic however, Hart’s anticipation was up to the job and he was able to stop the shot. Next Gerrard tested Hart from about twenty yards out by trying to bend a shot around the City defence into the bottom corner but again Hart read it. He was then at it again knocking away a Downing effort, which deflected off Agger. However, from the resulting corner Savic’s saw fit to rake his studs down Agger’s leg. The referee spotted it and Gerrard converted what needed to be a good penalty (Hart guessed the right way) to give us a deserved lead.

Sadly for every positive we have these days there seems to be a negative as seen in Jay Spearing having to go off with what looked like a pulled hamstring. However we had got our noses in front and kept them there for the remainder of the half. City were simply given no time, we closed them down early, got behind the ball when they had it and moved forward sharply and effectively when we did. Carroll nearly made it to with glancing header from Kelly’s cross and, we had to wait to almost added time in the first half before City really tested us via Nasri.

It was inevitable that City, no doubt with a half time rollicking ringing in their ears, would fair better in the second half. Things weren’t helped by Kelly’s awful back pass that allowed Aguero in for a one on one with Reina. However, perhaps when it might have gone in last week, Reina stood tall, didn’t commit himself and Aguero fired over.

Reina had to save well again this time from Richards’ header from Nasri’s corner. This seemed to prompt a new phase in the game which was a combination of chess and defence verses attack. Kenny shuffled his back four around, seemingly in response to every substitution Mancini made or just for the hell of it. Glen Johnson was passed around the pitch like a joint at a student party! Enrique came on, so did Carragher but no defenders went off. We sat back and, depending on which way you look at it, invited City onto us or said “what we have we hold, try and play your way through this”.

City, who could have done with a Silva service in this situation, couldn’t manage it and were limited to high or wide, long range, speculative efforts from Nasri, Kolarov, Dzeko and Milner. We tackled and blocked tenaciously and too enthusiastically in the case of Glen Johnson. Mancini must have felt a tad irked to see his two footed tackle on Adam Johnson, which looked to be far worse than Kompany’s on Sunday, go unpunished. In short, it was our night and let’s hope it is again in two weeks time.

Manchester City: Hart, Richards, Lescott, Savic, Clichy, Milner, Johnson (Dzeko 66), Barry, De Jong (Kolarov 72), Aguero, Balotelli (Nasri 39), Substitutes: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Onuoha, Nasri, Hargreaves, Dzeko

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Agger, Kelly, Skrtel, Gerrard, Henderson, Downing, (Jose Enrique 59), Spearing (Adam 23), Carroll, Bellamy (Carragher 79) Substitutes: Doni, Jose Enrique, Coates, Carragher, Adam, Shelvey, Kuyt

Att: 36,017

The game against Oldham on paper looked a comfortable enough win however if you look at the timing of the goals and the fact the first was Oldham’s, our equaliser was a deflected shot and second a penalty then perhaps the score line doesn’t reflect the balance of play?

Nonetheless it was good to see Jonjo Shelvey get off the mark as well as Andy Carroll gaining a boost to his confidence by also scoring what looked to be the best Liverpool goal of the night. Stuart Downing also scored his first goal for us and will hopefully show the same robustness and commitment as he did in taking his goal, and then later at Cross Key’s Club later that weekend, for the rest of the season! Contesting against a member of his own sex might present a more challenging problem!

The game was of course overshadowed by the racist comment shouted from The Kop at Oldham’s Tom Adeyemi. Linkage to the recent Luis Suarez Patrice Evra saga was inevitable and the papers made plenty of copy. However the only connection is that the club’s less than contrite approach over the Suarez affair may have been interpreted by some as a green light that racist abuse at Anfield is somehow acceptable. To believe that you would need to be a moron of the highest order which is clearly what the 20 year old fan who allegedly made the remark is?

In every walk of life you will always get a moron, be it in your office, your street, on the bus or, as in the case of Friday, any place were crowds congregate. Sadly the club has to deal with it, and other than co-operating with the police, condemning and giving the person a life ban what else can they do, it would clearly be impractical to positively vet everyone who decides to support Liverpool or applies for a ticket? It worries me that because of this, and the botched handling of the Suarez Evra thing, that Liverpool fans will be seen rampaging bigots in white hooded tops when of course nothing could be further from the truth.

No doubt the FA will be rubbing their hands thinking that this might give them the ideal opportunity to castigate the club and thus reap some revenge for the belligerence it showed over the Suarez affair? I don’t make excuses the club way behaved over this but it doesn’t excuse any further punishment from the FA, the club has done the right thing with the incident, which also extended to apologising to Tom Adayemi. What more could it have done?

Then to pour oil on potentially troubled waters we go and draw The Mancs in the fourth round. Fergie has slated us for trying to instigate so called “peace talks” after the hearing stating that they are not necessary and adding that we shouldn’t have done this through the press. I agree it with Fergie even if he did say this through the press!

I’m not entirely sure why we decided to call for talks, would The Mancs have done the same if Evra was found to be crying wolf again? Anyway it will make no difference even if The Mancs accepted I can’t see both sets of fans walking hand in hand to the ground on fourth round weekend, making daisy chains for each other, putting flowers in each other’s hair and having picnics in the car park!

So to tonight’s game against Manchester City in the Carling Cup semi final first leg. It seems odd that the semi is decided over two legs when they’ve cut the rest of the competition down but there you go. It’s hard to view this game without referring back to the recent league game. Although we lost 3-0 there was still a fair bit to take from it. We had plenty of possession, made City work hard and began to frustrate the crowd. All we need to do is maintain concentration and cut out the gaffs which admittedly is a bit like saying to Mo Farah all you need to do is run faster! There was even more to take from the league game at Anfield (remember this is over two legs) which we would have won had Joe Hart not performed so well. Normally one might question the approach of both clubs to this tie however with Crystal Palace or Cardiff waiting at Wembley, City’s 2012 European hopes diluted and ours non existent, I would expect both to go for it who wouldn’t at semi final stage anyway?

Team news and perhaps we will jump on the bandwagon for bringing back old players and resurrect Tommy Smith and Roger Hunt not exactly Paul Scholes or Terry Henry (aka Issac Hayes) but who knows! Whilst we contemplate that one assumes that those first team regulars who were rested against Oldham will be restored to the line up. So I guess we’ll see Skrtel and Agger reunited and defence along with Enrique? The City line up is more interesting with Balotelli, Dzeko and Silva doubts and Kompany beginning his suspension after Sunday’s dubious red card, a chance for us to make it count?

Prediction? Despite the long queue of people lining up to pay respect to Manchester City I still think they are not as invincible as everyone seems to think they are. We’ve been a tad unlucky, and careless, against them so far this season but if key players are out I think we can make our mark. A 1-1 draw and hopefully the chance to finish the job at L4?

I think we’re playing tonight because Everton are in action tomorrow and there’s the small matter of the Mancs Derby the following day which means we all need to be kept part either that or the police can’t cope?

In fact this coming week will act as a nice distraction from the Premiership. We’ve Oldham tonight and then Manchester City in the Carling Cup semi final the following Wednesday. Despite Tuesday’s defeat I still feel we can be confident about playing City, especially with the second leg at Anfield and, with all due respect, we don’t deserve to be in any Cup competition if we don’t beat Oldham tonight – there I’ve said which means it will be the first giant killing. I hope not it is some time since we had a cup domestic cup run so let’s go for it.

Of course if we go back to last year’s third round tie we found ourselves at Old Trafford which was memorable not for the 1-0 defeat we suffered or Steven Gerrard’s sending off but for Kenny’s first game as returning manager. I still remember the feeling I got when I saw Kenny trudge out in his long Adidas coat and assume the usual standing position by the dug out. It was like it was twenty years ago it made we feel young again, for a second or so anyway!

No doubt Kenny won’t really want to lend too much to looking back over his first year. He would probably prefer to continue the oft quoted “work in progress”. However, I’m not Kenny so on the whole I’d give his first year in charge a thumbs up. There have been good and bad times but even when there have downs there have been positives to take and enough to suggest that we win continue to improve. For me the most important thing is that generally we are good to watch now. We are playing positive football it’s not always beautiful but it certainly isn’t ugly and that’s what it’s all about really… anyway enough, I can’t begin to cover all this in one paragraph.

No doubt Oldham would love to put a dent in our progress and who would 100% rule this our given the number of draws we’ve had at home recently? Actually a replay might not be a bad thing as it’s one more game chalked off Suarez’s ban and a non Premiership one at that! However, I’ve no doubt that we will want to get his over and done with as soon as possible?

Team wise and I wonder if Kenny will take the opportunity to rest some players with Wednesday in mind, presumably they could do with it after the busy holiday schedule? So perhaps we will see the likes of Carragher and Kelly drafted in? Both have been patiently sitting on the bench recently and Carragher in particular must find that strange after all those years and must be raring to go? Further up the field I wonder if Jonjo Shelvey will start. I suspect we will persevere with Andy Carroll in the hope that he sparks. Presumably, with due respect to Oldham, this game would give him a good opportunity to do so?

Prediction? I has to be a Reds win and I take it to be reasonably problem free with 3-1 scoreline and then hopefully someone else like Oldham in the next round!