Allen Hamilton
What: League Cup Semi-final (second leg)
Who: Liverpool (1) vs Manchester City (0) (first leg score in brackets)
When: Wednesday 25th January, 2012, at 19:45 UK time
Where: Anfield, Liverpool, England
Stick or Twist?
Liverpool did a fine job in the first leg at Eastlands and can only have been happy to leave Manchester with a 1-0 win. However, welcome as the lead is, the scoreline is a dangerous one as Kenny Dalglish must decide exactly how forward thinking his team must be here at Anfield.
A worry for the Reds boss will not just be his team’s lack of potency up front, but also the fact that they enter this game off the back of a thoroughly poor performance against Bolton Wanderers at the weekend. Dalglish slammed his players for their poor display at the Reebok Stadium and the Scot will have had one eye on this clash as he launched a broadside designed to ensure a similar performance is not forthcoming here.
"If that’s the level they expect this football club to play at, they won’t be here long", warned Dalglish.
For Liverpool, it is not just a Wembley final and chance to pick up a first trophy since 2006 that is on the line. With Dalglish’s men inconistent in the Premier League, the League Cup offers a route back into Europe. With, realistically, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle competing for fourth and fifth place, two sides will miss out. For Dalglish, having a European spot in the bag in February will take much pressure off his side in the run-in.
Character and Self Belief
Nip and tuck and end to end – Manchester City’s 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend was nothing if not entertaining. Spurs felt hard done by to go down to an injury time penalty slotted home by Mario Balotelli, a man who had appeared to stamp on Scott Parker earlier in the game.
The Premier League will be put to one side for this clash though, with Roberto Mancini well aware that his team are well capable of overturning a slender 1-0 deficit and advancing to a Wembley final. For the Citizens, in the midst of a fierce title battle with rivals Manchester United, the shot in the arm a dose of silverware could provide will be wanted just as much at Eastlands as Anfield.
One problem for Mancini is the continued suspension of captain Vincent Kompany. This is the final game of the Belgian’s four-match ban and his replacement, the young Stefan Savic, has not always looked assured at the centre of defence.
Nevertheless, to overturn the 1-0 first leg loss City will need to attack more than defend and Mancini, who is desperate not just to win the Premier League, but to have another trophy to go with it, will surely attack.
Recent form
Liverpool:
Manchester City 0-1 Liverpool (11/01; League Cup)
Liverpool 0-0 Stoke City (14/01; Premier League)
Bolton Wanderers 3-1 Liverpool (21/01; Premier League)
Manchester City:
Manchester City 0-1 Liverpool (11/01; League Cup)
Wigan Athletic 0-1 Manchester City (16/01; Premier League)
Manchester City 3-2 Tottenham Hotspur (22/01; Premier League)
Key absences
Liverpool: Lucas Levia; Jay Spearing (doubt); Luis Suarez (suspended)
Manchester City: Vincent Kompany (suspended); Yaya Toure (international duty); Kolo Toure (international duty)
Players to watch
Liverpool – Andy Carroll: Nearly one year since landing at Anfield, the jury is still out on £35M club-record signing Andy Carroll. The giant striker was unstoppable against Manchester City not long after signing for Liverpool last season, scoring twice in a
3-0 win. That form is but a distant memory – can Carroll turn back the clock?
Manchester City – David Silva: Sublime against Spurs at the weekend, the fleet-footed Spaniard can, if on form, carve Liverpool’s defence open. Silva will be tasked with supplying the chances through which City’s strikers can change the tie.
Match Prediction
Liverpool have been less than impressive of late and serious questions are starting to be asked of Dalglish’s recruitment policy. All those doubts and the big money spent would be forgotten if a Wembley final place could be booked. Manchester City however appear to be able to steamroller almost any obstacle in their path. Liverpool 0-2 Manchester City.
Liverpool v Manchester City is a crunch Carling Cup semi-final with a spot at Wembley at stake. Who is your money on? Make sure you visit OLBG for tips and to compare the current odds and betting markets available at all the important bookmakers.
