League Cup Semi-Final - Manchester City v Liverpool

:00:33. > :00:35.Good evening. Welcome to the Etihad Stadium for the first leg of the

:00:35. > :00:38.Carling Cup semifinal between Mammuthus primigenius and Liverpool.

:00:38. > :00:48.If you are sat there thinking haven't we just seen these two

:00:48. > :00:48.

:00:49. > :00:58.sides play each other? You would be right. Eight days ago to be precise.

:00:59. > :01:07.

:01:07. > :01:15.Gareth Barry is sent off. Manchester City down to ten men. A

:01:15. > :01:19.penalty is given. Brilliantly taken. A week is a long time in football,

:01:20. > :01:23.Manchester City cruising there to a 3-0 win over Liverpool to move

:01:23. > :01:29.three points clear at the top of the Premier League. They are out of

:01:29. > :01:33.the FA Cup and have two key men missing, as dag's side roll into

:01:33. > :01:43.town, looking for another away win in the Carling Cup. -- Kenny

:01:43. > :01:43.

:01:43. > :01:53.Dalglish. What a goal! Dirk Kuyt to finish it. It is 2-0 to Liverpool.

:01:53. > :01:54.

:01:54. > :01:58.Suarez, that is magnificent. Kelly Tonight, promises to be a terrific

:01:58. > :02:07.game, and on the week that has seen the return of a couple of greats of

:02:07. > :02:10.the game I can put to bed rumours of come backs for our trio, Alan

:02:10. > :02:15.Hansen, Alan Shearer and Lee Dixon. At least two you have look ready.

:02:15. > :02:25.He was a bit concerned about my age, but, and he said he would stick

:02:25. > :02:27.with Skrtel and Agger. Terrific game. All set up for what should be

:02:28. > :02:32.an entertaining. It should be. There should be goals, with the

:02:32. > :02:35.players out on the pitch this evening. Two teams who I think will

:02:35. > :02:40.be desperate to win this competition. Liverpool got a great

:02:40. > :02:46.record, but haven't been to the new Wembley since it was built back up

:02:46. > :02:53.in 2007, so they will be desperate to get there and City to continue

:02:53. > :02:56.their trophy run and carry on from that good work last season. We are

:02:56. > :03:01.seeing the emergence of Manchester City of a big club that will win a

:03:01. > :03:05.lot of trophies. Yes, this is a good test, they best player, Toure

:03:05. > :03:09.and company are out and Silva has not made the team sheet. It is a

:03:09. > :03:14.test for what they have got beyond that. But Roberto Mancini has built

:03:14. > :03:18.his squad to cope with nights like this. It is a semifinal. That man

:03:18. > :03:22.there, Balotelli, for a semifinal you would expect to be tight,

:03:22. > :03:26.something magical from him or one of the flair players. You don't

:03:26. > :03:28.know what he will do next. latest story is he pulled into the

:03:28. > :03:35.petrol station and filled everybody's cars up with petrol and

:03:35. > :03:39.paid for them. So he is quite a character. Match city are not

:03:39. > :03:43.playing as well as they did early in the season. We thought they

:03:43. > :03:46.might not get beaten in the league and we said at some stage, they

:03:46. > :03:51.have had three defeats in seven, it is a blip, they have to get back on

:03:52. > :03:56.track and quickly. I was right about Liverpool. Certainly, if

:03:56. > :04:00.Liverpool won this competition, it would help them, in their quest to

:04:00. > :04:04.finish the Champions League spot. Steve Gerrard, back in the starting

:04:04. > :04:10.line up which has to be good news for Liverpool. Andy Carroll there,

:04:10. > :04:14.and Craig Bellamy, they play as well. So... Fantastic that Gerrard

:04:14. > :04:19.is back. He gives you something extra, the final third of the pitch.

:04:19. > :04:25.He came on against Newcastle and was magnificent: He gives you

:04:25. > :04:29.something extra as far as quality is concerned. It has been typical

:04:29. > :04:33.Kenny. A difficult spell for Kenny and Liverpool. A lot of negative

:04:33. > :04:39.policety round the Suarez thing, then the fan thing. I was going say

:04:39. > :04:44.it is typical Kenny the way it he has handled Steve Gerrard in his

:04:44. > :04:49.come back. He always held you back on the bench. He felt he knew best

:04:49. > :04:53.and most times he did. So he is ready to unleash Gerrard. It's a

:04:53. > :04:57.huge plus for Liverpool to have him in, because of what he is and the

:04:57. > :05:01.aura round him. This is the sort of game you need to arrive early to,

:05:01. > :05:07.and there is one sporter in the stand there, can you recognise him

:05:07. > :05:11.yet? If we zoom in closer, you might spot him. Where's Wally?

:05:11. > :05:21.Could be on the side of Manchester City. Italian. Yes, you got him?

:05:21. > :05:21.

:05:22. > :05:27.There he S Zola, of course, a bit like City. No company this evening.

:05:27. > :05:33.He wanted to play. I played in a charity game against him. He could

:05:33. > :05:36.still play at the ability he's got. As opposed to you! Let us get the

:05:36. > :05:42.views of the Manchester City boss, Roberto Mancini, he has been

:05:42. > :05:49.talking with Damien Johnson. Roberto, no David Silva tonight,

:05:49. > :05:56.how serious is the injury and how big a miss will he be? I hope that

:05:56. > :06:02.it is not serious. I hope that we can recall him for the next game on

:06:03. > :06:09.Monday. No Kompany or Toure, Savic starts in central defence, the

:06:09. > :06:14.biggest game for City? Yes, for Liverpool the same. What is the

:06:14. > :06:23.approach to the Carling Cup after being knocked out of the FA Cup at

:06:23. > :06:28.the weekend? This is a semifinal. We played this semifinal in two

:06:28. > :06:36.matches. It is important, it is an important cup. We want to go in the

:06:36. > :06:42.final if it is possible. You have put I guess your strongest team out.

:06:42. > :06:46.Hearth is back in goal. We have some players with some injuries,

:06:46. > :06:52.but it is the better team. What do you expect from Liverpool? You have

:06:52. > :06:57.had two games with them, both have been fairly close, very tight?

:06:57. > :07:04.is difficult. Liverpool is a strong team, they play very well. They

:07:04. > :07:08.defend very well. It will be a very tough game. And here is Roberto

:07:08. > :07:13.Mancini starting line up for Manchester City this evening. It's

:07:13. > :07:17.a strong one despite the fact a couple of key players are missing.

:07:17. > :07:20.Kompany and Toure and David Silva too. He is not there. But I suppose

:07:20. > :07:26.you look at the central defence. There is questions about who will

:07:26. > :07:33.come in and he had gone for Savic who has not played too often.

:07:33. > :07:37.him play against QPR with compaeb. It is a big night. He didn't play

:07:37. > :07:43.particularly well against QPR playing alongside Kompany, their

:07:43. > :07:46.leader. He is playing with Lescott tonight. Again, on his performance

:07:46. > :07:52.against QPR you would look at the Liverpool line up and say there is

:07:52. > :07:55.a weakness here, let us exploit that weakness. Obviously, the two

:07:55. > :08:00.in front of them, De Jong and Barry are massive to give protect

:08:00. > :08:04.shurpbgs but you would look at that back four and think, not as good

:08:04. > :08:07.obviously without Kompany, because he has been their best player.

:08:07. > :08:13.think there has been a question mark at the back for City. At the

:08:13. > :08:17.start of the season it was how the centre back performed. Chichy

:08:17. > :08:21.coming from Arsenal. Not the best defender in the world. But the

:08:21. > :08:25.partnership has been solid up until recently. So that has been

:08:25. > :08:28.something that has worked for City. All of a sud therein is a few

:08:28. > :08:33.questions. There is a massive game for the manager. When you in that

:08:33. > :08:37.position, and you are having this blip, it is what you say in the

:08:37. > :08:41.dressing room. How you get the players up, how you get the belief

:08:41. > :08:46.in them, and it is important he says the right thing at the right

:08:46. > :08:52.time. Plenty of firepower at the other end. Balotelli after an ankle

:08:53. > :08:56.injury. What about on the pitch? did the game against Chelsea,

:08:56. > :08:59.although they lost the game he was in the team and it was one of those

:08:59. > :09:02.games that you think he would take by the scruff of the neck. He is

:09:02. > :09:05.one of those players you don't know what he is going to do next. I

:09:05. > :09:10.don't think he does. In a semifinal, it will be tight, a player like

:09:10. > :09:15.that to explode, do something out of the ordinary and I think it can

:09:15. > :09:18.be a match winner tonight. He does things out of the ordinary

:09:18. > :09:22.generally. A word with Kenny Dalglish doesn't go amiss. He

:09:22. > :09:25.stopped to talk to Damian. Kenny, it is an attacking looking

:09:25. > :09:29.Liverpool side what is your thinking about the tie? It is the

:09:29. > :09:34.first leg. It's a long time since we have been involved in two legged

:09:34. > :09:38.competition, so we will take it as it comes, we have a lot of

:09:38. > :09:42.attacking players at our disposal. We may as well use them. Steve

:09:42. > :09:46.Gerrard starts, as does Craig Bellamy. He has enjoyed the Carling

:09:46. > :09:50.Cup, do you sense tonight might be made for him? Don't want to predict

:09:50. > :09:56.anything other than they are going to work their socks off. It is a

:09:56. > :09:59.difficult game we have. Manchester City. We came here a week ago and

:09:59. > :10:03.got beat three. Craig's been fantastic for us not only in the

:10:04. > :10:07.Carling Cup, the FA Cup last week we had a fantastic performance and

:10:07. > :10:11.done brilliant in the league there is no pressure on him that is not

:10:11. > :10:16.there for any other game. It is unfair to say because he has had a

:10:16. > :10:21.good run in the Carling Cup he can produce it again. I hope he does.

:10:21. > :10:26.Do you taken couragement from their team sheet. No Kompany, Toure?

:10:26. > :10:29.take more enkurnsment from our own team sheet. We look after our own

:10:29. > :10:34.players. They have a fantastic squad of players. If they have a

:10:34. > :10:40.couple missing, they put another couple in. Not too far behind them.

:10:40. > :10:45.So, we look at the team sheet bg obviously, but respect every player

:10:45. > :10:51.that plays against us. They have players that earn the respect. If

:10:51. > :10:57.we have any evidence of that it came last week. Classic resort from

:10:57. > :11:07.Kenny. Takes more influence from his own team sheet. It is a strong

:11:07. > :11:09.

:11:09. > :11:13.Has supply been the problem for him? It's a bit of both. When I

:11:13. > :11:19.look at Andy in recent games he started. He doesn't look fit to me.

:11:19. > :11:22.On the turn he looks slow, cumbersome, he is spending a lot of

:11:22. > :11:28.time out of the 18 yard box, which we all know he does most damage, in

:11:28. > :11:31.the 18 yard box, and when, think I will pick when Steve Gerrard came

:11:31. > :11:36.on against Newcastle, he looked a different player because all of a

:11:36. > :11:40.sud hen is getting balls in like that. First time balls, with pace

:11:40. > :11:45.on, precision on and put into that area, that he loves to get on to.

:11:45. > :11:48.All right this one is a pass, but this is down to confidence to me.

:11:48. > :11:51.If this Andy Carroll is playing well and scoring goals, this is a

:11:51. > :11:56.touch and in the back of the net like we have seen time and time

:11:56. > :12:00.again. But again, you put a ball in that area when there is that much

:12:00. > :12:04.space in between the keeper, one- on-one against the centre half,

:12:05. > :12:09.nine-and-a-half times out of ten he will hit the target. Explain one

:12:09. > :12:12.thing. You talked about he is not fit. You are talking about a �35

:12:12. > :12:17.million player, how can he not be fit? You have to look at yourself

:12:17. > :12:22.and say hang on, am I doing everything I can to get the best

:12:22. > :12:27.out of myself? You think he is not working hard. He doesn't look fit.

:12:27. > :12:33.Whether he is not working hard enough in training... He won't be

:12:33. > :12:37.allowed to get away with that with Kenny. When he played Newcastle we

:12:37. > :12:47.said unplayable. When it was coming up to Hizb ut-Tahrir first touch he

:12:47. > :12:52.was getting away. When it sup and his first touch he can get away.

:12:52. > :12:55.Then again, the whole system at Newcastle was designed for Andy

:12:55. > :13:01.Carroll. Every time the ball went out wide it was in the middle.

:13:01. > :13:05.do you see it going first? I would have gone for Manchester City,

:13:05. > :13:09.Kompany and Toure were playing but they have weaknesses in centre back.

:13:09. > :13:14.I think Liverpool can get a result. I am going to gore a draw but I

:13:14. > :13:18.will put Liverpool through to the final. As they fade the lights here

:13:18. > :13:22.for blue moon. I am going to gore a city win overall. I thought you

:13:22. > :13:27.might. This is a fantastic scene here. They fade the lights of

:13:27. > :13:37.course, then we will hear the crowd start singing Blue Moon, any second

:13:37. > :13:46.

:13:46. > :13:52.which is quite a moment. We will I think that is enough of that! To

:13:52. > :13:56.the first half of the Carling Cup semifinal, Manchester City against

:13:56. > :14:04.Liverpool. The commentators here are Mark Lawrenson and guy Mowbray

:14:04. > :14:09.P Top it is that dramatic moment that Manchester City like to treat

:14:09. > :14:13.us to on these big nights as the Blue Moon rises good afternoon.

:14:13. > :14:17.That is what City will be pray forg after that defeat against

:14:17. > :14:25.Manchester United on Sunday. And the big occasions keep on coming

:14:25. > :14:31.here. It is only the 11th January and it is Liverpool's second visit

:14:31. > :14:36.of the year with a Derby sandwiched of the year with a Derby sandwiched

:14:36. > :14:41.in between. 3-0 defeat at Liverpool last Tuesday. That was a score line

:14:41. > :14:46.that didn't really reflect the overall balance of the match. As

:14:46. > :14:56.yet again this season Kenny Dalglish was left to rue a host of

:14:56. > :14:57.

:14:57. > :15:01.missed chances by his team. Micah Richards is the Manchester City

:15:01. > :15:11.captain tonight. Steve Gerrard is back to fitness, and back to lead

:15:11. > :15:28.

:15:28. > :15:35.out Liverpool P -- Liverpool h you in the match city side tonight. --

:15:35. > :15:41.Manchester City side tonight. Savic comes in and there are four changes.

:15:41. > :15:45.Out go Pantilimon, Nasri and Silva, a huge blow that. In company heart,

:15:45. > :15:52.clishy, and Mario Balotelli, who has missed the last three games

:15:52. > :15:59.with a knock to his ankle. Liverpool side is much changed from

:15:59. > :16:02.Friday against Oldham. Three changes, Kelly for Enrique. Belly

:16:02. > :16:12.for Kuyt and Charlie Adam has made way for Steve Gerrard, his first

:16:12. > :16:22.start in a Carling Cup tie for more than four years. Bag -- Kenny

:16:22. > :16:28.

:16:28. > :16:33.leg in two weeks. Certainly will know each other pretty well soon.

:16:33. > :16:38.Ma, one man in particular who will be delighted to see the captain

:16:38. > :16:42.back. Andy Carroll. We saw from the VT that Gerrard's passing ability

:16:42. > :16:46.is second to none. You would think with Suarez out for a while, this

:16:46. > :16:55.is the big chance for Carroll, so it is important that he works very

:16:55. > :16:58.hard, I agree with Alan Shearer he doesn't look 100% fit. This has to

:16:58. > :17:05.be his moment, these two games against City. It is his moment

:17:05. > :17:09.every day of the week isn't it? we going to get super Mario or

:17:09. > :17:15.stupid Mario? He is brilliant when he wants to play? Does he want to

:17:15. > :17:19.play, that is the question. He was sent off when the sides met at

:17:19. > :17:27.Anfield in November. Rather harshly treated some might say. And the

:17:27. > :17:32.same with Gareth Barry. Also sent off in the meeting eight days ago.

:17:32. > :17:42.City's first priority might be to keep 11 players on the field. Lee

:17:42. > :17:55.

:17:55. > :18:05.it has been steady drizzle throughout the afternoon. It will

:18:05. > :18:11.

:18:11. > :18:18.be a greasy top. There will be under way. Carling Cup semifinal

:18:18. > :18:23.first leg. Two games away from a Wembley final. After City's FA Cup

:18:23. > :18:28.exit, this competition has taken on more importance. It was growing in

:18:28. > :18:33.Roberto Mancini consciousness any way. Got here by beating Birmingham,

:18:33. > :18:42.winning at Wolves and Arsenal, Liverpool have done it all on the

:18:42. > :18:52.road. Stoke, the op situation has got more difficult for them.

:18:52. > :18:52.

:18:52. > :19:45.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:19:45. > :19:55.time in 31 home games on Sunday, over a year they were unbeaten at

:19:55. > :20:13.

:20:13. > :20:16.that place. Liverpool have started Mark, they are coming in with two

:20:16. > :20:22.days less rest than Liverpool? wouldn't have thought so, they had

:20:22. > :20:27.this the other week when they were complaining and two days later they

:20:27. > :20:33.beat Liverpool 3-0. I am thinking of the work they had to put in

:20:33. > :20:36.against Manchester United with ten men. Rather be playing than

:20:36. > :20:40.training though. Steve Gerrard is turning deep. We thought Henderson

:20:40. > :20:50.would be alongside Spearing, but Gerrard is the man Henderson has

:20:50. > :21:07.

:21:07. > :21:17.pushed forward. A bit 4-3-2-1 at competition with Arsenal last

:21:17. > :21:17.

:21:17. > :22:18.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:22:18. > :22:25.not dissimilar to the chance Downing had in the league game last

:22:26. > :22:30.night. Same outcome, the keeper out quickly. Wait till you see the

:22:30. > :22:40.position of Savic which will give Liverpool great heart. He was the

:22:40. > :22:43.wrong side of his man. Here goes Mario Balotelli. That is a good

:22:43. > :22:53.tackle from Skrtel. Not sure that Reina was going to get there.

:22:53. > :22:56.

:22:56. > :23:06.ended Sunday's FA Cup tie with a cut above the eye, after a clash of

:23:06. > :23:36.

:23:36. > :23:46.heads. Can't use that as an excuse the City half so far. -- game in

:23:46. > :24:21.

:24:21. > :24:25.the Liverpool supporter es. -- deadlock last week. One that Pepe

:24:25. > :24:35.Reina won't have viewed again, I'm sure. Might have done with his head

:24:35. > :24:47.

:24:47. > :24:57.in his hands! Through the gloves. Burr in is the way City are at home.

:24:57. > :25:22.

:25:22. > :25:32.They won't change the way they play round tonight. There is one playing

:25:32. > :25:32.

:25:32. > :26:19.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:26:19. > :26:29.much. Savic, nowhere near Andy Carroll. He had hold of one other.

:26:29. > :26:44.

:26:44. > :26:54.am not sure he has, I'm not sure James Milner has either. Liverpool

:26:54. > :26:55.

:26:55. > :27:00.have had a lot more of the ball. It is their 14th semifinal in this

:27:00. > :27:09.competition. Equal lying Arsenal's record. No-one has won it more than

:27:09. > :27:19.Liverpool. Three times with the man to my left in the team. Four times

:27:19. > :27:34.

:27:35. > :27:38.with the man who's the manager of damed Johnson, who is stuck to him.

:27:38. > :27:48.Liverpool continue to have most of the ball in the Manchester City

:27:48. > :27:53.

:27:53. > :27:58.half. This was the way last week Hart had to get down to keep it out.

:27:58. > :28:06.I think it was creeping in. It was. Good save by Hart. A minimum amount

:28:06. > :28:11.of touchs for Gerrard. Try and bend it round Lescott. A good save.

:28:11. > :28:14.Hart took a breather on Sunday, sigt on the bench during the

:28:14. > :28:18.Manchester derby. On guard and ready as ever. Four clean sheets in

:28:19. > :28:26.his last five games. He was brilliant at Anfield attend of

:28:26. > :28:33.November. He has been pretty much brilliant all season. Another great

:28:33. > :28:37.save by Hart. Was it Carroll with the last touch? I think this is a

:28:37. > :28:43.better save. I don't think Hart sees this until late. Into Downing.

:28:43. > :28:48.Great touch, a flick on as well. It is a brilliant save. Seen so late.

:28:48. > :28:53.Agger or Carroll. I think somebody got something on it but Hart was

:28:53. > :29:00.down remarkably quickly. Over from Gerrard again. Agger tumbles and

:29:01. > :29:08.Lee Mason has given a penalty. What a start for Liverpool this could

:29:08. > :29:12.be! Not a great show of motion from Kenny Dalglish. He is more

:29:12. > :29:22.concerned about Daniel Agger getting back to his feet. I am sure

:29:22. > :29:24.

:29:24. > :29:28.he will be fine. Just a kick isn't it. Yes, I think Savic catches him

:29:28. > :29:33.on the knee. Yes. It is a daft tackle isn't it. It is a daft

:29:33. > :29:41.tackle. That will have come from the fact that Carroll turned before,

:29:41. > :29:44.very nervy here at the moment. haven't exactly been efficient from

:29:44. > :29:52.the penalty spot in the Premier League this season, Liverpool. They

:29:52. > :29:56.have only scored one out of four awarded. Steve Gerrard, he scored a

:29:56. > :30:01.penalty as cent as Friday night against Oldham in the FA Cup.

:30:01. > :30:09.Doesn't miss many. Two goals in his last three game, to announce his

:30:09. > :30:19.return to fitness. Joe Hart takes some beating. Liverpool will do

:30:19. > :30:31.

:30:31. > :30:41.well to get many better chances at their early dominance has been

:30:41. > :30:53.

:30:53. > :30:57.rewarded. Thoroughly deserved. An guessed right but Steven Gerrard

:30:57. > :31:06.was not playing the guessing game, he knew exactly where he was

:31:06. > :31:16.putting it. For the second game in a row at home, Manchester City find

:31:16. > :31:51.

:31:51. > :32:01.Manchester City. Understandable, Vincent Kompany. David Silva is out

:32:01. > :32:01.

:32:01. > :33:15.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:33:15. > :33:25.injured. We are told it is and a clear shooting chance but the

:33:25. > :33:55.

:33:55. > :34:00.in Manchester City's last Carling lead. And from their point of view

:34:00. > :34:10.they do not need to change anything about the way that they are playing.

:34:10. > :34:43.

:34:43. > :34:53.that Andy Carroll was all set for a return to Newcastle, or a story

:34:53. > :35:31.

:35:31. > :35:35.quickly rebuffed by his agent. little bit deeper, it is stopping

:35:35. > :35:41.de Jong getting took Gerrard because he has to deal with

:35:41. > :35:51.Henderson. Consequently, Gerrard, there is nobody around him and he

:35:51. > :35:56.

:35:56. > :36:06.is starting everything for referee, who was not looking on

:36:06. > :36:41.

:36:41. > :36:46.either occasion. Probably a good there. Six goals in 31 Liverpool

:36:46. > :36:56.appearances before today. Can you see a day when it will click?

:36:56. > :37:19.

:37:19. > :37:29.he went in against Lescott. Andy Carroll of Newcastle would not

:37:29. > :37:29.

:37:29. > :38:54.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:38:54. > :39:04.health bounced off Lescott there. - Liverpool against Chelsea in an

:39:04. > :39:40.

:39:41. > :39:50.patient. Yes, they do not need to centre circle. It is played out so

:39:50. > :39:58.that he can receive some treatment. I did not see him caught by anyone.

:39:58. > :40:05.It looks like a hamstring. They said, as soon as the ball went out,

:40:05. > :40:10.sit down. He started four games in a row, trying to hold down a

:40:10. > :40:19.regular place in the team. He has had a good run of chances under

:40:19. > :40:27.Kenny Dalglish. I think he has done well, he is improving all the time.

:40:27. > :40:37.He has only lasted a quarter of this match. Charlie Adam will come

:40:37. > :40:49.

:40:49. > :40:56.would think he would be very well warmed up. There is no logic to it.

:40:56. > :41:06.What did you pull the most? I could not possibly tell you! I knew that

:41:06. > :41:36.

:41:36. > :41:46.have dropped Aguero a little bit deeper. They want to get him

:41:46. > :41:55.

:41:55. > :42:04.the last time that they played a Carling Cup semi-final first leg.

:42:04. > :42:10.They were a goal down to Manchester United before coming back to 2-1.

:42:10. > :42:15.But it all went wrong at Old Trafford. The goals came from a

:42:15. > :42:25.certain Carlos Tevez but they do not talk about him much at the

:42:25. > :42:56.

:42:56. > :43:06.Not much closer to Buenos Aires. Manchester City supporters at the

:43:06. > :43:07.

:43:07. > :43:14.moment. They got used to all those years of struggle and now they are

:43:14. > :43:24.just getting used to success. The stadium is not full. But they have

:43:24. > :43:24.

:43:24. > :45:07.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:45:07. > :45:16.drift across the field. We have not seen anyone really slide in yet.

:45:16. > :45:21.The game has not been played with that tempo. No, it has not. And if

:45:21. > :45:31.it is a Liverpool player, just listen to the Manchester City

:45:31. > :46:02.

:46:02. > :46:12.but not a good choice of shot. was poor from Andy Carroll. With

:46:12. > :46:38.

:46:38. > :46:43.the ball at your feet, with your them. And his reaction is sensibly

:46:43. > :46:49.stopped by James Milner. The Mason caught sight of what was about to

:46:49. > :46:59.happen and blasted out his whistle. James Milner had seen it first.

:46:59. > :47:00.

:47:00. > :47:10.it looked like Charlie Adam just gave him a little Slapper. Or has

:47:10. > :47:11.

:47:11. > :47:21.he said something to him? He tapped his head. I thought that was more

:47:21. > :47:52.

:47:52. > :47:59.three games without a goal, his Charlie Adam. And now he has

:47:59. > :48:04.stopped moving altogether. He has just got his petrol bill from the

:48:04. > :48:10.other day! You never know whether they are true, these Balotelli

:48:10. > :48:16.stories. There seems to be one every day. I am inclined to think

:48:16. > :48:26.they might be! The thing is, you cannot take your eyes from him when

:48:26. > :48:46.

:48:46. > :48:56.where they miss David Silva. Just coming off players and playing

:48:56. > :49:25.

:49:25. > :49:29.balls into Balotelli. They are Yaya Toure as well. Mancini did not

:49:29. > :49:39.get much sympathy for his complaint that he did not have a big enough

:49:39. > :49:53.

:49:53. > :49:58.which is disputed by the Liverpool players. -- for Manchester City.

:49:58. > :50:08.There is no doubt about the foul. It is a bit of a hangover from the

:50:08. > :50:33.

:50:33. > :50:38.weekend. Every time one of the tackle and then soft to go down as

:50:38. > :50:48.James Milner came in. Want to get in front of a play you cannot be

:50:48. > :50:48.

:50:48. > :51:35.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:51:36. > :51:41.touched, as we know. He was games for Manchester City this

:51:41. > :51:51.season, but this is the worst they have been. Distinctly average

:51:51. > :51:51.

:51:51. > :52:58.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:52:58. > :53:03.running backwards. Balotelli takes well to get in front of his man and

:53:03. > :53:13.get the header in. That is a little bit more like the Player that

:53:13. > :53:37.

:53:37. > :53:47.game, where Aaron Lennon has broken the deadlock. The challenge from

:53:47. > :54:16.

:54:16. > :54:26.Tottenham continues for Manchester we have seen that on many occasions

:54:26. > :54:34.

:54:34. > :54:39.and then he does something character like this in the English

:54:39. > :54:43.game for quite a while. He has done really well to turn it around. The

:54:43. > :54:48.first few games, people were thinking, what have Manchester City

:54:49. > :54:58.board? We do not want this kind of temperamental player. But everybody

:54:59. > :54:59.

:54:59. > :55:43.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:55:43. > :55:48.City bench. Milner was caught by Gerrard. Free kick for Manchester

:55:48. > :55:58.City. And that is the loudest at the home supporters had been all

:55:58. > :56:25.

:56:25. > :56:32.say Balotelli. Back on the field after that ankle injury but from

:56:32. > :56:37.the start tonight he has not been quite right. The quickest he has

:56:37. > :56:47.moved was when he took offence to Charlie Adam tapping him on the

:56:47. > :56:49.

:56:49. > :56:58.head. Possibly they took a gamble with no David Silva or and Dezeko

:56:59. > :57:08.coming back to fitness. But the gamble has not taken off. And he

:57:09. > :57:10.

:57:10. > :57:20.goes straight up the tunnel. Which is fine, if you are injured.

:57:20. > :57:20.

:57:20. > :59:01.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:59:01. > :59:11.of getting the ball away. They have dropped Nasri in to the left side

:59:11. > :59:27.

:59:27. > :59:32.impressed by the performance of his side so far. He cannot blame the

:59:32. > :59:41.referee for this one. It was a penalty put Liverpool. There is no

:59:41. > :59:51.doubt about that. He needs one of the players dictate the game by the

:59:51. > :59:59.

:59:59. > :00:02.scruff of the neck. -- took take the game. The other thing is that

:00:02. > :00:09.Manchester City are going backwards and that is not the way that they

:00:09. > :00:19.play when they are playing well. And it is the perfect away

:00:19. > :00:32.

:00:32. > :00:42.performance in the first leg of a play. Gerrard stops it P Just as

:00:42. > :00:49.

:00:49. > :00:59.well for Skrtel. He tried to pinch better save than it first looked by

:00:59. > :01:36.

:01:36. > :01:46.Pepe Reina. He made sure he cleared Manchester City showing a bit of

:01:46. > :02:21.

:02:21. > :02:25.bit more with that tactical shift, get himself set? He was caught

:02:25. > :02:30.between the middle of his two feet. He decided which ever way it came,

:02:30. > :02:35.good play for him Richard, I think he decided, Milner, he was going to

:02:35. > :02:45.hit it it right footed. Just a scuff in the end. City's best

:02:45. > :02:49.

:02:49. > :02:59.chance by far. Something in the England right back battle. Richards

:02:59. > :03:01.

:03:01. > :03:11.just blew Glen Johnson away. He is very much third choice in Fabio

:03:11. > :03:12.

:03:12. > :03:16.Capello's list. Not for me. He has a job to do as captain tonight, try

:03:16. > :03:26.to lift things for Manchester City. I thought he was immense in the

:03:26. > :03:35.

:03:35. > :03:39.second half on Sunday, Micah a chance. I thought James Milner

:03:39. > :03:43.was going to hit it right foot, which ever way it cames. It was

:03:44. > :03:51.predetermined. This is the save from Nasri. It is a comfortable

:03:51. > :03:55.save. The fact it bounces before, made sure it didn't go out to an

:03:55. > :04:01.inrushing Manchester City player. nice even bounce rather than a skid.

:04:01. > :04:09.Yes, strong wrists. That will do him the world of good after last

:04:09. > :04:19.week here. Nas is another one, a big money signing who has not quite

:04:19. > :04:24.shone at his new homement No. He has plenty to do. �25 million or so.

:04:24. > :04:34.Not quite pocket change even for Sheikh Mansour. I'm not sure about

:04:34. > :05:10.

:05:10. > :05:20.has come on, haven't they. I think they are keeping the ball a lot

:05:20. > :05:23.

:05:23. > :05:28.more and looking more positive with we are in the third minute of first

:05:28. > :05:38.half stoppage time. City's first corner of the match. Martin's

:05:38. > :05:41.

:05:41. > :05:51.blown away by Andy Carroll in the early stages. How about he gets the

:05:51. > :05:59.

:05:59. > :06:03.It is a free-kick for City. I think Adam Johnson was looking to bend it

:06:03. > :06:08.in the top corner. He scored from that place many times before,

:06:08. > :06:18.hasn't he. Is that a yellow? First one? Just a talking to at the

:06:18. > :06:18.

:06:18. > :06:28.moment. It will stay that way. This will just about be the last kick of

:06:28. > :06:35.

:06:35. > :06:41.up involvementment ininvolvement. Adam Johnson is having a touch too,

:06:41. > :06:51.to muddy the waters. I think this might be a left footed opportunity.

:06:51. > :07:04.

:07:04. > :07:10.was over and always wide and the first half was ore. It was a side

:07:10. > :07:14.where the keeper already was. Liverpool going 1-0 up and

:07:14. > :07:17.thoroughly deserved although City have improved since Nasri came on,

:07:17. > :07:22.they have had one or two opportunities but this is the worst

:07:22. > :07:26.I have seen City at home all this season, so far. It is advantage

:07:26. > :07:30.Liverpool at the breakthrough Steve Gerrard's penalty. Manchester City

:07:30. > :07:33.Gerrard's penalty. Manchester City 0, Liverpool 1. The ups and downs

:07:33. > :07:39.of top flight football. What a difference a week make, a totally

:07:39. > :07:42.different game to last week. Absolutely. We spoke before the

:07:43. > :07:46.game about man City blip and have some belief. It is as though the

:07:46. > :07:50.belief has been drained out of them. When you are trouble in, when you

:07:50. > :07:54.are struggling, you have to get together as a group and fight and

:07:54. > :07:57.show character, and for the first 43 minutes they showed nothing. And

:07:57. > :08:00.if it wasn't for Joe Hart they would be out this cup tie.

:08:00. > :08:07.Liverpool were great. They pressed at the right time, they passed it

:08:07. > :08:11.well, they moved it well. And the only unfortunate for thing for

:08:11. > :08:14.Kenny is they are only 1-0 up. few signs towards the end of the

:08:14. > :08:23.heart that Manchester City were showing more the form we have seen

:08:23. > :08:27.in recent weeks. You would never guess that Man City to play Cardiff

:08:27. > :08:32.or Palace. Del there is a lack of atmosphere. I don't know whether it

:08:32. > :08:36.is because the City fans expect bigger things than the League Cup.

:08:36. > :08:39.The fans aren't getting behind the team and the tame aren't giving the

:08:39. > :08:45.fans anything to shout about. But for Liverpool their system is

:08:45. > :08:48.working, they were comfortable, two very good saves off Joe Hart.

:08:48. > :08:53.penalty off Steve Gerrard and they deserve to be in front. Lee,

:08:53. > :08:56.Liverpool have had the edge in this, Kenny has it right? Yes, they have

:08:56. > :09:00.dominated in midfield, every time there has ban Liverpool player on

:09:00. > :09:05.the ball he seems to have pass on. Tay have no option, there is no

:09:05. > :09:09.pace in City's attack, we are used to seeing with them. They are

:09:09. > :09:13.lacking a penetrative up front. There is no focal point. Mario

:09:13. > :09:18.Balotelli has gone off injured but Aguero has not been in the game.

:09:18. > :09:22.Right from apart from the keeper they have been awful. Not said that

:09:22. > :09:25.many times this season about them being awful. From I every man on

:09:25. > :09:29.the pitch, the opposite for Liverpool. They have been on their

:09:29. > :09:33.game. They have done simple things and that has been enough to get a

:09:33. > :09:37.1-0 lead. We talked before the game about new central defensive

:09:37. > :09:41.partnerships. Savic has come in. You highlighted him as the man

:09:41. > :09:45.Liverpool might put under pressure. From the start he looked vulnerable.

:09:45. > :09:51.You might think this is nothing, but as soon as this happened. Lee

:09:51. > :09:55.and I said this looked nervy, nobody, missed controls. It is the

:09:55. > :10:00.first touch of the game. Bad start, and with the Carroll chance, he is

:10:00. > :10:04.terrible. He gets too tight, too quickly. If Andy Carroll rolls on

:10:04. > :10:08.to the left hand side, with a bit of strength and power, there is no

:10:08. > :10:14.way back for him, and... Where should she be the defender?

:10:14. > :10:18.shouldn't go to tight. A couple of yards? Just a yard behind him. And

:10:18. > :10:22.then the penalty-kick, Lee, is just rash. Terrible. Right from the

:10:22. > :10:27.first minute he looked nervy. has had a couple of poor games in

:10:27. > :10:30.the past. He is a young lad and he wants to do well. Sometimes when

:10:30. > :10:33.you want do well, the chance against Carroll especially, he

:10:34. > :10:38.thinks getting tight is the right thing. He is not thinking. He has

:10:38. > :10:42.to be touch tight. A yard away. Brilliant penalty. But a rash

:10:42. > :10:46.challenge in the box that gives the penalty away. All round he has ban

:10:46. > :10:50.nervy performance, if that is the centre of your defence you will

:10:50. > :10:55.have problems. If I am Andy Carroll, I would go and stand on Savic every

:10:55. > :11:01.time. I would stay away from Lescott. I know there is a rick in

:11:01. > :11:04.him. That doesn't sound stupid to me. I would. I would stand on him.

:11:04. > :11:09.He was the best at that. If you went and fought Alan Shearer

:11:09. > :11:13.playing as a centre half he loved it. He could roll you, him and Tony

:11:13. > :11:17.Adams. Tony used to stand off him and not let him know where he was.

:11:17. > :11:20.Alan would play the game. He is not playing the game. What he needs

:11:20. > :11:26.there is somebody alongside him that has massive experience. That

:11:26. > :11:31.is where they are missing Kompany. What Kompany does is gets you into

:11:31. > :11:35.position, gives you confidence, a bit of experience, Lescott is an

:11:35. > :11:38.adept player but not as good as Kompany. He is looking after

:11:38. > :11:41.himself and is a rick is looking after himself. There is no

:11:41. > :11:46.partnership and it shows. To be honest, it could have been at that

:11:46. > :11:53.stage, they already had a couple of great efforts, if it weren't for

:11:53. > :11:58.Joe Hart... He is the only guy in the Man City team who has done

:11:58. > :12:04.himself any credit. Very good save there great first touch and a great

:12:04. > :12:10.hit. Takes it early but he is alert. This one is better. This one from

:12:10. > :12:18.Downing. He gets a flick from Agger but that is a great save. Really is.

:12:19. > :12:25.As we said, this could be over for him. It was a great save.

:12:25. > :12:28.Sensational. Apart from the last two minutes. Aguero and Skrtel

:12:28. > :12:33.haven't been out of position. They have had no threat at the back.

:12:33. > :12:39.you mention the last couple of minutes I think it was the 43rd

:12:39. > :12:42.minute before Manchester City had a shot on target. Nasri has come in,

:12:43. > :12:47.we were sitting there waiting for a chance. When this happened, and

:12:47. > :12:51.it's a good save, as the ball gets cleared out we were saying is that

:12:51. > :12:56.their first chance? We couldn't remember them having a chance. And

:12:56. > :13:01.it was, 43 minutes. This is not bad play from Micah Richards. Power and

:13:01. > :13:05.strength. This is when you see his strength. He goes past him. Johnson.

:13:05. > :13:10.But up until the last two or three minute, there is nothing there.

:13:10. > :13:17.That is probably the best. I know what we can expect in the second

:13:17. > :13:21.half. They can't get any worse. Or can they? They have been second to

:13:21. > :13:24.99% of everything, second in the tackle, second to the ball. It has

:13:24. > :13:27.been incredible. They haven't been playing well. What happens is, you

:13:27. > :13:31.know, you are not playing well and you are still getting the results

:13:31. > :13:35.and then all of a sudden you are not playing well and you a poor

:13:35. > :13:38.performance, the problem they have got in the first 43 minutes there

:13:38. > :13:42.and you never accuse anybody of not trying, but there is a lack of

:13:42. > :13:49.fight. There is a total lack of fight. They look as though, they

:13:49. > :13:52.look to me. Lethargic. When they lose the ball nobody is chasing.

:13:52. > :13:58.Liverpool are first to the ball. Second to the ball. They need a

:13:58. > :14:02.leader. They need somebody to get a grip and say right. As Alan said

:14:02. > :14:07.before. This is where Mancini earns his money at half-time. He has

:14:07. > :14:15.taken Balotelli off. It was a four star performance, he was running on

:14:15. > :14:21.empty. He wasn't happy with this decision. He gets up. A bit of pet

:14:21. > :14:27.lens adds we know he can do. Every time he got the ball he was

:14:27. > :14:33.frustrated. Charlie Adam tries to give him a friendly tap on the ear.

:14:33. > :14:39.You would wind him up. You know he is going to react. Milner did well

:14:39. > :14:44.to hold him back. This is where he has a shot with the free-kick. He

:14:44. > :14:49.starts to feel his knee but a minute later I think the ball comes

:14:49. > :14:53.to him bg and this is when he thinks I'm off here. Down the

:14:53. > :14:59.tunnel. He is a character. There is no down h -- doubt he is

:14:59. > :15:03.entertainment. You Gary, you love him. But to me, I think... I find

:15:03. > :15:09.him entertaining. I think he is a disruptive interinfluence. He is

:15:09. > :15:18.doing it fine, when he is not he doesn't want to know. He ran out of

:15:18. > :15:27.gas. The other semifinal first leg was played between crystal plast

:15:27. > :15:37.was played between crystal plast and Cardiff. -- plast. Palace. That

:15:37. > :15:41.

:15:41. > :15:51.ball. Good pressure, good delivery. Isn't cleared. A love I touch. -- a

:15:51. > :15:55.

:15:55. > :16:05.game. Murray with a layoff. Could be a chance. Good save by Heaton to

:16:05. > :16:17.

:16:17. > :16:20.deny. Good sequence of play. Held goal. Links up well. There is not

:16:20. > :16:30.enough pressure on the ball. He has a chance to look up. You know what

:16:30. > :16:36.

:16:36. > :16:45.what has been given by the referee. The crowd doing their bit to lift

:16:45. > :16:51.the team. Ambrose tries again. It is going to be in! And it is

:16:52. > :17:01.Gardener. He was only two yards out. He could hardly miss. Crystal

:17:02. > :17:04.

:17:04. > :17:10.Palace ahead in this semifinal. is nowhere near and you have to say

:17:10. > :17:20.it... Gardener a simple tackle. There won't be an easier chance in

:17:20. > :17:25.

:17:25. > :17:29.but they are claiming it was a handball by Joe Mason in the

:17:30. > :17:37.penalty area. I am not sure. Play to the whistle. That takes the dip

:17:37. > :17:44.into the ground. That is a foot away. From an equaliser. It is

:17:45. > :17:51.congested in there isn't it. won't count. The whistle before the

:17:51. > :17:55.ball was headed into the back of the net by Miller. The referee had

:17:55. > :18:02.a great position there. Look at this pushing and pulling, what does

:18:02. > :18:06.he give it for? The arms. It was a great header from Miller. But

:18:06. > :18:16.unfortunately Joe Mason, I think he is impeding. That is what it is

:18:16. > :18:26.

:18:26. > :18:31.It was so nearly an equalising goal for Cardiff at the end of the game.

:18:31. > :18:34.Perfectly balanced. But one goal advantage, and it was, goalkeeping

:18:34. > :18:39.error? The Cardiff keeper came for two or three before that but they

:18:39. > :18:45.were up in the air. He caught them. This ball was flat with a lot more

:18:45. > :18:52.pace and he misses by a pile. Gardener comes in and scores. And

:18:53. > :18:59.like you say, evenly poised. A tort night's time. Fourth time lucky for

:18:59. > :19:04.Ambrose. It is a great ball. He has paid the penalty. You don't mind

:19:04. > :19:11.them, two yards, header. We will have live coverage of the second

:19:11. > :19:16.leg between Cardiff City and -- Crystal Palace on BBC Two from 7.30.

:19:16. > :19:21.A date for your diary. There is one Premier League game taking place,

:19:21. > :19:24.Spurs entertaining Everton. We can hear about the first half at White

:19:24. > :19:29.Hart Lane. Tottenham scored in 18 consecutive Premier League games

:19:29. > :19:32.before this one. Ten minutes before the break they extended that run,

:19:32. > :19:36.Everton full back Leighton Baines playing his part. Failing to

:19:36. > :19:41.properly deal with a searching cross field ball but Aaron Lennon

:19:41. > :19:47.had plenty to do. Do it he did, snaking into the box before wrong

:19:47. > :19:53.footing Tim Howard. Spurs had been slick and imimeimpressive. They

:19:53. > :19:58.could have been out of sight here against an Everton team seemingly

:19:58. > :20:04.content to contain rather than create. One other comfort, that of

:20:05. > :20:12.Michael Dawson, back as captain for his first league game since August

:20:12. > :20:15.28th. The last time Spurs tasted league defeat, a defeat to

:20:15. > :20:21.Manchester City, which makes a convenient link back to you Gary.

:20:21. > :20:25.There is game taking place in the Championship. At half-time it is

:20:25. > :20:31.Birmingham one, Ipswich Town one. Before the second half, a few

:20:31. > :20:41.sporting programmes to tell you about. Later tonight Freddie

:20:41. > :21:06.

:21:06. > :21:10.A guaranteed classic. The Mas sers. Sunday at 1.20 on BBC two. Look

:21:10. > :21:13.forward to that. Look forward to the second half. Absolutely.

:21:13. > :21:19.Manchester City have to change their attitude and conviction

:21:19. > :21:24.haven't they? More togetherness, passion, more leadership, more

:21:24. > :21:27.fight. Liverpool more of the same? Yes, Kenny will be delighted. He

:21:27. > :21:33.will be saying beware of something from Manchester City because they

:21:33. > :21:36.have to change. He will be happy. Over our shoulders the Liverpool

:21:36. > :21:45.players are out early. Manchester City are coming out. You suspect

:21:45. > :21:48.they have had a bit of talking to. I bet there are a few tea cups gone

:21:48. > :21:52.missing. They deserve it because they have been awful in the first

:21:52. > :21:56.half. Can they turn it round? I think so. If there is enough

:21:56. > :21:59.character in the club. Whether there is new character on the pitch,

:21:59. > :22:05.I don't know. Nay have to try and give this crowd something to shout

:22:05. > :22:11.about. Up to now they have given them nothing. That man there and

:22:11. > :22:15.Liverpool. Lots to play for. Let's Liverpool. Lots to play for. Let's

:22:15. > :22:21.rejoin our commentators. That man there, Steve Gerrard scored the 1-0

:22:21. > :22:26.win at home and away the last time Liverpool were in the League Cup

:22:26. > :22:30.semifinals. That was against Watford a few years ago now. Savic

:22:30. > :22:35.is bearing the scars of a game that was much more recent when Roberto

:22:35. > :22:39.Mancini really did get a response from his team in the second half.

:22:39. > :22:43.They felt there was a wrong to be Wrighted in that one. There was a

:22:43. > :22:48.focal point for their second half aggression. Where are they going

:22:48. > :22:51.get it from this time? There was only teb of them as well, wasn't

:22:51. > :22:58.there. Ten in the second half on Sunday where better than the 11 we

:22:58. > :23:03.saw in the first half tonight. All about Liverpool at the moment. At

:23:03. > :23:07.the moment, although they are on a quarter of the way there, they are

:23:07. > :23:12.the team set for an appearance at Wembley in the Carling Cup final.

:23:12. > :23:19.It would be Liverpool's first visit to the new Wembley. Manchester City

:23:19. > :23:23.have been there three times since last April. Liverpool's last

:23:23. > :23:28.Wembley day out was five years before the opening of the

:23:28. > :23:38.redeveloped stadium. Steve Gerrard's first half penalty

:23:38. > :23:38.

:23:38. > :24:19.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:24:19. > :24:29.injury time to get their first corner of the game. Second corner

:24:29. > :24:30.

:24:30. > :24:40.comes a minute into it. Savic and Richards, the most likely

:24:40. > :25:13.

:25:13. > :25:23.candidates here. Richards couldn't much different in the next 45

:25:23. > :25:23.

:25:23. > :26:46.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:26:46. > :26:56.Very disciplined. One goes out, everyone follows. They are keeping

:26:56. > :27:07.

:27:07. > :27:17.Manchester City back in side, into his half-time words of advice. He

:27:17. > :27:19.

:27:19. > :27:24.has had a pained expression on his face from the start tonight. There

:27:24. > :27:27.are occasions, the big ones haven't quite gone to plan. The defeat on

:27:28. > :27:31.Sunday against Manchester United. Then of course they were beaten by

:27:32. > :27:36.Munich in the Champions League, but it proved to be a bitter-sweet win

:27:36. > :27:43.as they went out of it. Naply the first home game in the Champions

:27:43. > :27:50.League. They didn't really perform that night either. A 1-1 draw. They

:27:50. > :27:58.have won 28 of their last home games. Manchester United came here

:27:59. > :28:08.and won on Sunday of course. Cracks appear organise a little spell?

:28:09. > :28:09.

:28:09. > :29:15.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:29:15. > :29:19.think a little spell, to be honest what they are doing is they are

:29:19. > :29:25.making every City player get his head down so he can't have a look

:29:25. > :29:32.up. Not that there's much on for them but it is almost impossible.

:29:32. > :29:37.look between Steve Clarke and Kenny Dalglish. Just got the feeling

:29:37. > :29:42.right from their first outing in this competition at Exeter, back

:29:42. > :29:50.when it was warm, Kenny Dalglish's had the feeling for this one. Built

:29:50. > :29:57.a strong teem. Suarez scored, Andy Carroll scored. One away in every

:29:57. > :30:07.round to date. One away in every round to date. -- won away in every

:30:07. > :30:07.

:30:07. > :31:04.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:31:04. > :31:14.had been at Liverpool for a while and have not won anything yet. --

:31:14. > :31:24.

:31:24. > :31:27.winner of this type has a great chance of winning the Cup. But when

:31:27. > :31:37.you think about Arsenal and Birmingham City last season, it

:31:37. > :31:38.

:31:38. > :31:48.does not always work that way. It did not work out brilliantly for

:31:48. > :32:00.

:32:00. > :32:10.and Liverpool will be as patient as you like. Aguero touched it too far

:32:10. > :32:41.

:32:41. > :32:51.Henderson was sprinting away from his area. He did not see the run of

:32:51. > :32:51.

:32:51. > :34:00.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:34:00. > :34:05.might just catch city on the break. -- catch Manchester City.

:34:05. > :34:15.goalkeeper did really well here. Tried to stay up as long as he

:34:15. > :34:15.

:34:15. > :34:59.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:34:59. > :35:02.pressure from Reina. -- good Manchester City. Liverpool have

:35:02. > :35:12.started to give the ball away a little bit which was something you

:35:12. > :35:12.

:35:12. > :36:26.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:36:26. > :36:36.could not accuse them of in the while they are about to defend and

:36:36. > :36:46.

:36:46. > :36:56.is an outstanding save because he does not see it until late. Unlike

:36:56. > :37:13.

:37:13. > :37:23.last week, he gets his body behind better than anybody else. Possibly

:37:23. > :37:29.

:37:29. > :37:39.Enrique. Steven Gerrard comes across to get the word on the

:37:39. > :38:13.

:38:13. > :38:23.just said to Agger, I am not sure where I am supposed to be playing

:38:23. > :38:28.

:38:28. > :38:34.here. Bellamy has gone to the left. Henderson has come to the right. I

:38:34. > :38:44.think Glen Johnson is an extra body in midfield, the way Steven Gerrard

:38:44. > :38:44.

:38:44. > :39:48.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:39:48. > :39:54.from Johnson, one born of Johnson knows where he is supposed

:39:54. > :40:04.to be playing. Are you convinced of the title challenge from Tottenham

:40:04. > :40:15.

:40:15. > :40:20.a frustrated figure. The first game of his four-match ban. I wonder if

:40:20. > :40:30.he had had his time again he would have made the tackle in the same

:40:30. > :40:31.

:40:31. > :40:41.way. Did he give the referee the option? Yes. That has clear that

:40:41. > :41:03.

:41:03. > :41:13.behind in any Premier League game this season but have now trailed at

:41:13. > :41:13.

:41:13. > :42:33.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:42:33. > :42:40.half-time in successive cup games penalty area for Manchester City.

:42:40. > :42:50.They are going to try to change that in a minute because Dezeko

:42:50. > :43:26.

:43:26. > :43:36.wrong-footed the defenders but got the wrong bend on it. It was

:43:36. > :44:06.

:44:06. > :44:16.substitution for Manchester City. Adam Johnstone is coming off. --

:44:16. > :44:17.

:44:17. > :45:05.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:45:05. > :45:10.singing again. It really is advantage to them at the moment.

:45:10. > :45:16.They have only lost one game at home since Kenny Dalglish came back.

:45:16. > :45:26.And at the moment, Manchester City will have to go there and win.

:45:26. > :45:26.

:45:26. > :46:07.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:46:07. > :46:17.there is a long way to go yet in Johnson. He was inside the box and

:46:17. > :46:17.

:46:17. > :48:01.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:48:01. > :48:11.Liverpool have not solved that but there were too many Liverpool

:48:11. > :48:37.

:48:37. > :48:42.has Reina hopping around and having helped themselves with the system

:48:42. > :48:52.that they are trying to play. They are inviting Manchester City on to

:48:52. > :49:02.

:49:02. > :49:12.them. It is five at the back, free kick for Kolarov. Getting

:49:12. > :49:14.

:49:14. > :49:24.ready to come on. He has played in an advanced position down the left

:49:24. > :49:33.

:49:33. > :49:43.of this competition against Arsenal bar was taken off before half-time.

:49:43. > :49:58.

:49:58. > :50:08.Steven Gerrard. As Manchester City make another change. De Jong is off

:50:08. > :50:19.

:50:20. > :50:29.and Kolarov is on. Steven Gerrard sent Kelly to the centre. Same pegs

:50:30. > :50:30.

:50:30. > :54:11.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:54:11. > :54:16.three centre backs as well, as they and Dzeko. I remember being here

:54:16. > :54:20.two years ago for the semi-final against Manchester United and it

:54:20. > :54:26.was a totally different atmosphere. I know it is not a local Derby but

:54:26. > :54:36.it is the semi-final of the Carling Cup. I'm just surprised it is not

:54:36. > :54:36.

:54:36. > :55:16.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:55:16. > :55:26.do not know any Italians where words. Brian Kidd knows plenty! He

:55:26. > :56:04.

:56:04. > :56:14.not had one attempt on goal, but as it is, they had not needed one. --

:56:14. > :56:50.

:56:50. > :56:56.and a free kick for Liverpool. And Reina has angry words for Enrique.

:56:56. > :57:06.Was that too tentative from Gareth Barry? I think he realised he was

:57:06. > :57:06.

:57:06. > :57:16.always going to be second to the ball. The reason Reina was angry

:57:16. > :57:19.

:57:19. > :57:29.was the fact that NBK allowed the cross to coming too easily. And

:57:29. > :57:35.this is a nice stay here. A good reception for Bellamy. A different

:57:35. > :57:45.reception for Jamie Carragher, mind you. He has come on with more

:57:45. > :57:50.

:57:50. > :58:00.instructions. It looks like it is back to a back four. Carragher the

:58:00. > :58:12.

:58:12. > :58:19.holding midfielder. I think he has for being a little bit too

:58:19. > :58:29.defensive since half-time? Manchester City had not hurt them

:58:29. > :58:29.

:58:29. > :59:13.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:59:13. > :59:22.flicking the ball away. No, we are not. He looked like he was going to

:59:22. > :59:27.his pocket. I think it Bellamy had played through the middle, at the

:59:27. > :59:37.moment, there is no respite for Liverpool. They cannot get out of

:59:37. > :59:37.

:59:37. > :00:35.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:00:35. > :00:45.pace or power in the shot. -- Wales. Liverpool have the advantage

:00:45. > :01:13.

:01:13. > :01:23.Manchester or London, maybe he will put it right at Wigan on Monday.

:01:23. > :01:23.

:01:23. > :02:03.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 53 seconds

:02:03. > :02:13.Tell him it's near London! It's City, having to think a way a

:02:13. > :02:26.

:02:27. > :02:31.disciplined defence. Not been up to you are 100% certain. Six minutes.

:02:31. > :02:37.Liverpool are slow to react to that. That is a complete waste from

:02:37. > :02:46.Aleksandar Kolarov. He has not made a mark op the game. He has, but it

:02:46. > :02:51.is not a very good one. -- he has not made a mark on the game. Steve

:02:51. > :02:55.Gerrard got the chance to put Liverpool in front early on in the

:02:55. > :03:03.game. It was Savic's foul on Daniel Agger. The penalty was never in

:03:03. > :03:09.doubt. Sure footed. Right footed. Manchester City 0, Liverpool 1.

:03:09. > :03:17.Look at that. Steve Gerrard and Kenny Dalglish showing us how much.

:03:17. > :03:22.There is a bit of afters here. Nasri on karger. Henderson's

:03:22. > :03:26.involvement is not welcome either. Nor is Kolarov's to be honest. Lee

:03:26. > :03:34.Mason hasn't had the cards out of the pocket all match. He is a

:03:34. > :03:40.referee who doesn't like it. Nasri has taken up braidge more than

:03:40. > :03:46.karger. He doesn't want to Carragher. He doesn't want to shake

:03:46. > :03:56.hands. I think Jamie Carragher might get a yellow as well. What

:03:56. > :04:14.

:04:14. > :04:20.he. Fair enough referee. He has had a tidy game Lee Mason, the referee,

:04:20. > :04:30.but he has nod hat had a lot to officiate on really. The penalty

:04:30. > :04:39.

:04:39. > :04:45.goal to see them go to Liverpool level. Roberto Mancini has reacted

:04:45. > :04:50.angrily, Michael Oliver who has had to stand between the assistant boss

:04:50. > :04:56.and the assistant referee. He is not letting it lie either. I don't

:04:56. > :05:03.understand why we have fourth officials. In that position. Sit

:05:03. > :05:08.them in the stand where they can't get the same amount of abuse.

:05:08. > :05:14.Oliver looks as if he is taking it on the chin. I would love to know

:05:14. > :05:20.what he is really thinking. As a young referee in his 20s he is

:05:20. > :05:24.giving it back to Mancini plenty. They are a target for your abuse as

:05:24. > :05:34.a manager or a coach. They are, aren't they? If you remove them

:05:34. > :05:39.away from the scene, see what would happen. The assistant would cop it

:05:39. > :05:44.instead. You would just run down the other end, wouldn't you. I

:05:44. > :05:54.think what has been apparent with City in the second half, there is a

:05:54. > :06:04.

:06:04. > :06:09.lack of width. Not too many ideas but to where? It keeps coming back

:06:09. > :06:14.to them. There is a bit of history repeating itself here. Liverpool

:06:15. > :06:23.ten times in the final. That came in 1981, semifinal. Played

:06:23. > :06:33.Manchester City, they won the first leg away 1-0. The late great Ray

:06:33. > :06:39.

:06:40. > :06:43.Kennedy got the only goerblgs at Maine Road. -- the only goal.

:06:43. > :06:53.Manchester City have rarely looked likely to score for all their

:06:53. > :07:13.

:07:13. > :07:18.round Manchester City's Etihad Stadium. We haven't heard Blue Moon

:07:18. > :07:28.all night. Hand wall is the shout as Kelly dipped in to it. Throw in

:07:28. > :07:35.

:07:35. > :07:41.those years away from Wembley, and the best chance of returning is

:07:41. > :07:51.coming under Kenny Dalglish. There is another whole 90 minutes of this

:07:51. > :07:52.

:07:52. > :08:02.to go yet. There is another two or three minutes of this one to go yet.

:08:02. > :08:09.

:08:09. > :08:16.kick. Charlie Adam was the offender. Silly to have a bit of a bite.

:08:16. > :08:22.will go back while Milner was getting to his feet as well. Nasri.

:08:22. > :08:28.Aguero. Only just over the cross bar. I don't think he got a touch

:08:28. > :08:32.from Reina, I don't think he needed it. Too much space for ooing row.

:08:32. > :08:42.Silly from his point of view. They were left two against one. Allowed

:08:42. > :08:43.

:08:43. > :08:50.Nasri the time for the cross. Somebody switched off. That was the

:08:50. > :09:00.case of having so many people back, forgetting to mark. We are into

:09:00. > :09:03.

:09:03. > :09:08.additional time. Henderson has lost are saying two footed for that

:09:08. > :09:12.tackle. I knew there would be one tonight. Yeah. Nothing wrong with

:09:12. > :09:21.the tackle. No. Something wrong with that. Free-kick. Not sure what

:09:21. > :09:25.was wrong with that. He got the ball. Carroll had barked a few

:09:25. > :09:29.words towards Milner. It is only half-time in the tie. Looking for

:09:29. > :09:39.an equaliser. James Milner to put one into the box. Well flighted.

:09:39. > :09:40.

:09:40. > :09:45.Well met by Carroll. It has come to Savic. Gerrard took it off his toes

:09:45. > :09:52.and Dzeko spun down and fell over I think. I think you are right.

:09:52. > :09:56.didn't see anything in that at all. There is Savic. A good job the

:09:56. > :10:06.referee wasn't looking at that. That is out. That is going to be a

:10:06. > :10:07.

:10:07. > :10:17.Liverpool throw in. That is a stadium clearer that pass. How was

:10:17. > :10:19.

:10:19. > :10:28.that as a judgment? Very similar lar, he gets the ball. Second reply.

:10:28. > :10:34.-- replay. There you go. Interpretation, different referee,

:10:34. > :10:39.different views of things And no moaning you have to say from the

:10:39. > :10:46.City player,, was there? Not at all. He did jump in wrong. It looks a

:10:46. > :10:50.lot more controlled. Both feet seemed to be off the ground there.

:10:50. > :10:59.Again there is a different intensity which much affect a

:10:59. > :11:09.referee's judgment. Gerrard goes down after a challenge from Barry.

:11:09. > :11:24.

:11:24. > :11:26.long look. And that's it. Weer r we're at the half way stage of the

:11:26. > :11:31.Carling Cup semifinal between Manchester City and Liverpool.

:11:31. > :11:34.Liverpool have the advantage as they go home for the second leg.

:11:34. > :11:38.Liverpool do have the advantage. There is a lot of football to be

:11:38. > :11:42.played, certainly in this tie over the two legs, but a very

:11:42. > :11:46.professional performance from Liverpool tonight, a very average

:11:46. > :11:51.performance from Manchester City. All it took was one shot on goal

:11:51. > :11:57.from 12 yards. Steve Gerrard, Liverpool's captain, very accurate

:11:57. > :11:59.and it is those Reds from Liverpool who will be going down the east

:11:59. > :12:05.Lancs road happy tonight and hopefully from their point of view

:12:05. > :12:10.they will be ready to sew their team defend this lead in the second

:12:10. > :12:20.leg in a fortnight's time. No way through for Manchester City. And it

:12:20. > :12:24.

:12:24. > :12:26.finished in the first leg, Steve Gerrard so oftenly talisman

:12:26. > :12:36.for Liverpool over the year, returned to the starting line up to

:12:36. > :12:41.score the only goal of the game. Reina a couple of good saves in

:12:41. > :12:46.there. Pepe Reina even. Steven Gerrard once again the hero for

:12:46. > :12:49.Liverpool. The Liverpool players. They walk off the pitch at the end,

:12:49. > :12:53.very happy. Very much a rearguard action in the second half, and that

:12:53. > :12:57.is what they had do. They have that lead they wanted going back to

:12:57. > :13:02.Anfield. Played really well and all right in the last 15 minutes they

:13:02. > :13:05.went to flat back nine, but at the same time Manchester City, are they

:13:05. > :13:08.in crisis? They nearly are. I said at the top of programme, when you

:13:08. > :13:12.are plague badly and struggle and you haven't got that belief, they

:13:12. > :13:18.have got on the pitch and for 90 minutes they were dead. What you

:13:18. > :13:21.need, if you wanted to be champion, if your aspirations and dreams are

:13:21. > :13:24.you are going to dominate English football, when you are struggling

:13:24. > :13:27.what you need is a leader. Somebody on the pitch that will galvanise

:13:27. > :13:31.everybody and say right, I am going take this game by the scruff of the

:13:31. > :13:34.neck and we will do something special. You could argue their two

:13:34. > :13:38.leaders are missing. You need somebody else. For 90 minutes you

:13:38. > :13:41.are watching the game and the whole thing was dead. The atmosphere was

:13:41. > :13:46.dead, but what you have do on the pitch is give the supporters

:13:46. > :13:52.something to shout about and they koiant do it. They struggled. They

:13:52. > :13:56.lacked a bit of guile. I know Mark said it in commentary, they lacked

:13:56. > :14:01.Silva. Nasri was up, Dzeko came on and everything was in front of the

:14:01. > :14:05.back four, their rarely got behind, when they did it was Liverpool's

:14:05. > :14:09.own defensive mistake, they couldn't find anyone in that hole

:14:09. > :14:13.to turn and run at Liverpool's back four or five, whatever they were

:14:13. > :14:17.flaiing the second half. You have to give Liverpool credit for the

:14:17. > :14:22.way they played. They would have settled for that when they brought

:14:22. > :14:26.Carragher on, they brought others on, as Alan said they were playing

:14:26. > :14:31.six and seven at the back and it was a lonely role for Andy Carroll.

:14:31. > :14:35.For all the possession Manchester City had they rarely tested

:14:35. > :14:39.Liverpool. They would have come trying to get a draw. If they could

:14:39. > :14:45.have nicked the game great. They have done that. You can't blame

:14:45. > :14:48.them for playing the way they did. City were going to have a go in the

:14:48. > :14:51.second half. Glen Johnson played in virtually every position on the

:14:51. > :14:58.pitch. Wasn't sure what position he was supposed to be playing but they

:14:58. > :15:02.did joofpblt as far as City are concerned, in the past, or up until

:15:02. > :15:09.now, everyone ee been easy. They haven't had to dig in. Now they are

:15:09. > :15:13.looking over their shoulders. this the crux moment now for

:15:13. > :15:18.Manchester City? Absolutely. Four defeats in eight would tell its own

:15:18. > :15:21.story. They have Wigan away and Tottenham at home and the Tottenham

:15:21. > :15:25.match is massive. When you are struggling and when the

:15:25. > :15:29.performances and the results aren't going your way, obviously, since

:15:29. > :15:34.time began the quicker you can come back the better, but they are

:15:34. > :15:36.missing for the next three matches big players and you look that the

:15:36. > :15:40.performance and everyone plays badly, but they had nothing on that

:15:40. > :15:45.pitch that would going to make them better. It a extraordinary

:15:45. > :15:51.difference from a side that was banging in at least three plus

:15:51. > :15:55.goals every game. Absolutely. We said before Toure and company are

:15:55. > :15:59.big player u Silva has been big. Balotelli didn't seem to want to

:15:59. > :16:05.play in the first half, so he went off, but crisis, I'm not sure. Dip

:16:05. > :16:10.in form, absolutely. What are they, still three points clear? That will

:16:10. > :16:15.be their main aim. It It is a good crisis. There are plenty who would

:16:15. > :16:19.swap with them. I am not sure say it crisis. Questions to answer,

:16:19. > :16:23.absolutely, can they come back? I am sure they K.. I think the

:16:23. > :16:27.difficult thing they have got is they have been solid up to now and

:16:27. > :16:31.been creating chances, they didn't create a lot but they will create

:16:31. > :16:36.chances in the Premier League. Now there is a few of them looking at

:16:36. > :16:40.the back going, what is going on there? They have been solid. Now

:16:40. > :16:47.they have someone who is not quite on his game in Savic. That is right.

:16:47. > :16:54.The thing is we have said all along, when will Manchester City. Can I

:16:54. > :16:58.interrupt you but, for Roberto Mancini I would. Would you admit

:16:58. > :17:06.that Manchester City were poor tonight? The first half, we didn't

:17:06. > :17:11.play well, yes. Why was that, can you put your finger on it? Because

:17:11. > :17:17.after the first half, the second half, Liverpool didn't pass, they

:17:17. > :17:20.made, they made a pitch, second half we had a chance, we didn't

:17:20. > :17:28.score, but before the game it was difficult. Did you miss perhaps the

:17:28. > :17:35.leadership of the likes of Toure and Kompany? It is clear without

:17:35. > :17:41.three or four players it is more difficult, but I think in the end

:17:41. > :17:45.we... If we played a better first half. I don't understand your first

:17:45. > :17:48.question. The pundits said you played poorly, I just wanted to get

:17:48. > :17:54.your opinion. We didn't play good in the first half, but the result

:17:54. > :18:03.is not right, for me the result was a draw, maybe. Was it a penalty?

:18:04. > :18:13.Maybe, yes, yes. I want to know also, I want to see also the take

:18:14. > :18:16.

:18:16. > :18:21.on the tackle of Johnson on Adam. Thank you. I knew it would be our

:18:21. > :18:26.fault. It was your fault. I was going to say before, the point Lee

:18:26. > :18:33.was makeling, and the big criticism of City was we felt when they came

:18:33. > :18:39.under pressure they were never a team we said if they if they want

:18:39. > :18:44.to win the title I think that have to be a team. The goal came via a

:18:44. > :18:47.penalty. I don't think there is any doubt. I don't think there is any

:18:47. > :18:52.doubt.. The complaints of the City players weren't strong. It is a

:18:52. > :18:56.rash challenge. He started the game poorly Savic and this culminated in

:18:56. > :19:00.giving this penalty away. He shouldn't dive in there. He is not

:19:00. > :19:07.going anywhere with the ball. It is in front of him. He can't head it,

:19:07. > :19:15.he can't kick it. So he sticks his foot out. I think Agger, because he

:19:15. > :19:21.spots him coming, it is a terrible tackle. Nowhere near the ball.

:19:21. > :19:24.said about Gerrard, who took a thousand penalties against Joe Hart,

:19:24. > :19:29.he knows what favourite side he goes. It has to be a good one

:19:29. > :19:32.because he went the right way. Let's hear from him.

:19:32. > :19:36.Congratulations, a big result and a great performance from Liverpool.

:19:36. > :19:39.Yes, it was, that is what we wanted to do, come here and try and get a

:19:39. > :19:44.clean sheet and try and get a goal. But there is no way this tie is

:19:44. > :19:48.over. We know we are in for a tough match if two weeks time. So the job

:19:48. > :19:52.is half down. For you it must be great to get back on the pitch and

:19:52. > :19:57.to get the penalty. I feel like a footballer again, I have had a

:19:57. > :20:01.difficult year but it is games like this I have missed. Games I have

:20:01. > :20:05.been patient sheant for and tonight, you know, I got the winning goal.

:20:05. > :20:08.It was all about the team. We defended superb from back to front.

:20:08. > :20:11.We weren't effective second half. We know that, but we are playing

:20:11. > :20:15.one of the big powers in the world and sometimes you have to do the

:20:15. > :20:20.ugly stuff. We have done that tonight. Maybe the pretty stuff

:20:20. > :20:25.will come at Anfield in two weeks time. Roberto Mancini was not happy

:20:25. > :20:32.with the tackle. What is your view? I think it was a clear win over a

:20:32. > :20:35.tackle, but that surprises me, because he has a go at midweek in

:20:35. > :20:40.roony, now he is trying to get one of our players in trouble. I don't

:20:40. > :20:45.think that works. But the tie finely balanced. Yes, it sets up

:20:45. > :20:48.for a cracking match at Anfield. Two fantastic teams. I thought we

:20:48. > :20:51.were the better team first half, they were better second half. I am

:20:52. > :20:58.sure it will be a cracker at Anfield, it is still not over.

:20:58. > :21:05.Thank you. I think Steve Gerrard accusing Roberto Mancini a bit of

:21:05. > :21:08.hypocrisy, we might as well have a look at that tackle. I comes after

:21:08. > :21:13.the Kompany. I thought Kompany should have been sent off. If you

:21:13. > :21:19.are telling me the throefrt law a two-footed tackle. There is a

:21:19. > :21:25.mention in the law... That is how it seems to be read these days..

:21:25. > :21:27.Surely that is worse than the Kompany one. I think that is what

:21:28. > :21:31.frustrates managers, players farpbgs from one game to another

:21:31. > :21:38.you are not sure what referee is going to give. Whether he will

:21:38. > :21:43.interpret that as a two-footed tackle. We saw the Arsenal ones

:21:43. > :21:48.against Arteta. And we saw Kompany's. That is not a foul.

:21:48. > :21:55.is problem. That is why people get frustrated. Maybe the law needs

:21:55. > :21:59.spelled out. It is supposed to be reckless or dangerous challenge.

:21:59. > :22:05.Endangering and opponent. Winning the ball seems to be a foul these

:22:05. > :22:09.days.. No defender is going to tackle. I don't think Roberto

:22:09. > :22:16.Mancini was trying to get Johnson into trouble. He was comparing the

:22:16. > :22:19.point. Tell us the difference. more positive note, great to see

:22:19. > :22:22.Gerrard back, it is like when you are in the dressing room and he is

:22:22. > :22:26.there and his name is in the team sheet it gives everybody a lift.

:22:27. > :22:33.City didn't have too many clear-cut chance, the best one was created by

:22:34. > :22:38.a Liverpool player, Kelly: doesn't know what is behind him. He

:22:38. > :22:42.turns round without looking and his vision is blocked by his own

:22:42. > :22:47.defender, and right, it was brilliant. Makes him beat him and

:22:47. > :22:52.the angle is tight. He never looks up, Kelly. Reina makes up for his

:22:52. > :23:00.mistake, because that is brilliant goalkeeping. Just did enough.

:23:00. > :23:04.Really good. Just after that City were playing the prern. A terrific

:23:04. > :23:08.save. This was a brilliant save. So close. He has had so little time to

:23:08. > :23:12.think about I he was only three yards away from him, so to git his

:23:12. > :23:17.whole body, and keep it out, poor marking you have to say but that is

:23:17. > :23:21.a very good save. As Al said for the mistake he made, a week or

:23:21. > :23:27.soing a, he will be delighted. When he was called upon twice with that

:23:27. > :23:34.and certainly with Aguero's before, what Lee spoke about he came up on

:23:34. > :23:39.top. Absolutely. Aguero header. Was the only chance City had. Nothing

:23:39. > :23:43.that clear-cut. He is in a great position. It is high for him. He

:23:43. > :23:48.tries to get the flick. Anybody else, a bit taller would have got

:23:48. > :23:53.that on target. But dephenomenon sily the only time Liverpool got

:23:53. > :23:57.out of position. It was a very disciplined performance from Kenny

:23:57. > :24:00.Dalglish's team, and the whole tacticical approach but right. They

:24:00. > :24:05.pressed throughout. What I was impressed with, they let the centre

:24:05. > :24:10.backs have the ball there is Carroll backing off, and what they

:24:10. > :24:15.did, all season long City had been adept at getting between the lines

:24:15. > :24:20.and attacking that way. As soon as the ball comes towards the half way

:24:20. > :24:24.line Liverpool press, Bellamy goes tight there, and there is so many

:24:24. > :24:30.men behind the ball but they are make life difficult, and what

:24:30. > :24:36.happens is that Clichy comes there, comes across, and he has chipped it

:24:36. > :24:40.forward, and they were never going to get through that. But to be fair,

:24:40. > :24:45.it is all right says man City playing better, I was disappointed.

:24:45. > :24:48.We have seen where they passed and played and cut defenders to ribbon,

:24:48. > :24:52.not tonight. They are not, in the last four or five games I have seen

:24:52. > :24:58.them, when they were scoring three, fours and fives at the start of the

:24:58. > :25:01.season, it was easy, now it is more difficult. They have had to face

:25:01. > :25:07.that for most of the season, with teams sitting deep. They have had

:25:07. > :25:12.the guile to get through them and get something. They sat so deep in

:25:12. > :25:17.the second half, Andy Carroll cut a loan figure. He was much more

:25:17. > :25:25.involved in the first half. It is not quite happening for him. He is

:25:25. > :25:28.having a tough time. He is. I he was bigger and stronger than Savic,

:25:28. > :25:33.which might not have been difficult. He hits the target and that waserly

:25:33. > :25:38.loin in the game. If it goes in it changes his performance, he gets

:25:38. > :25:42.hold of his shirt in the box, he gets a decent shot away, and Andy

:25:42. > :25:46.Carroll of 18 months ago that goes in the back of the net. You know

:25:46. > :25:50.again, ball into the bo, it's a decent header, but he is feeding on

:25:50. > :25:56.scraps to be fair. With the system that Liverpool played tonight. He

:25:56. > :26:01.put a shift in. He worked hard. But, particularly in the second half we

:26:01. > :26:05.see here, look, there is no-one within 35 yards of him and he may,

:26:05. > :26:10.should perhaps try and get hold of that but it's a difficult role when

:26:10. > :26:13.you are playing four or five at the back or four in midfield. But he

:26:13. > :26:19.his touch is not as good as it should be. He has to keep on

:26:19. > :26:27.working, pefr veering, he has the chance to play regular games now,

:26:27. > :26:37.because of the Suarez ban, but it certainly isn't happening for him..

:26:37. > :26:37.

:26:37. > :26:46.Not a lot he can do. That is all he is feeding on, to be fair. Poor lad.

:26:46. > :26:51.Poor Andy! We will have highlights in two weeks time on BBC One. You

:26:51. > :26:56.can see that at quarter past 11. Before that, we are live for the

:26:56. > :27:05.conclusion of the other semifinal between Cardiff City and Crystal

:27:05. > :27:09.Palace on Tuesday 24th January. OK, the Spurs game is finished. Let us

:27:09. > :27:13.hear about it. This should have been Tottenham's first game of what

:27:13. > :27:18.is proving to be a promising seasonment on a night when they

:27:18. > :27:22.cruised so comfortably to victory they will feel it is worth the wait.

:27:22. > :27:28.Against an Everton side content to sit back an contain. It became a

:27:28. > :27:33.case of not how, but how many. It could have been more than the two

:27:33. > :27:43.they settled for. Emmanuel Adebayor might have made it a hat-trick.

:27:43. > :27:44.

:27:44. > :27:49.Pinnish -- punishing bain's mistake. A flashing drive, albeit by Cahill,

:27:49. > :27:53.rather like the ball for Howard it put the game beyond Everton's reach.

:27:53. > :27:59.Spurs have won 14 of their 20 league games, the sort of form last

:27:59. > :28:06.seen by the 1961 side here, for those Spurs for the titles sceptic,

:28:06. > :28:08.that year they went on to win the league. And Spurs are in action on

:28:08. > :28:13.Match of the Day this Saturday against Wolves. We have seven games

:28:13. > :28:19.in all, including Manchester United versus Bolton, BBC One from 10.20.

:28:19. > :28:23.Then on Sunday, it is a trip to Newcastle for mark Hugh's new

:28:23. > :28:30.charges and highlights of Arsenal's visit to Swansea on Match of the

:28:30. > :28:34.Day 2. The Premier League's getting interesting as well.. Tottenham for

:28:35. > :28:42.the title. Who would have thought it? Saturday night we could have

:28:42. > :28:47.three team tons same points. big game here, 20 seconds,

:28:47. > :28:53.Manchester City. Do you think they can win the league. I am not the

:28:54. > :28:59.one to say, I ask the questions. Of course they can. They are playing

:28:59. > :29:05.the best football. They can't win it. Is that an Arsenal man talking

:29:05. > :29:13.or neutral? It could be anybody. Who is going to win the Carling

:29:13. > :29:16.Cup? City. Liverpool. Liverpool. We said that beforehand. Gentleman