Carling Cup Semifinals, 2nd Legs: Bellamy Books Liverpool’s Wembley Place

For Liverpool, nothing about their recent play can be described as positive. Luckily, they only have to protect a lead to make the final, but with the way they have played of late, it could very well be too much to ask that they protect that lead.

The one thing that is clear is that one of these teams will be all over the headlines on Thursday and it won’t be the team that wins. Either the drama at City will be magnified or the Reds’ struggles will continue and Dalglish will really feel the heat. This one isn’t pretty, but it’s got plenty to talk about. Maybe we’ll even be lucky enough to get something on the pitch to talk about.

They took a pretty roundabout way of getting there, but Cardiff City are heading to Wembley to challenge for the Carling Cup. Facing a 1-0 deficit inflicted upon them by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, Cardiff dominated the second leg of their semifinal, equalising very quickly and then inflicting what by all rights should have been a thrashing. It, however, was no such thing - miracle after miracle saved Julian Speroni’s goal after it was breached in the seventh minute via the unfortunate head of Palace defender Anthony Gardner, and the visitors were able to take the match all the way to and through extra time while fighting an amazing rearguard action. Ultimately, it took penalties to settle the score, and it was the Bluebirds who advanced, scoring three out of their four spot kicks while Crystal Palace finally crumbled.

There was no hint of the drama that was to come when the match began. Cardiff were, as usual, composed in possession and able to dominate play, and it didn’t take long before the hosts were able to burst down the right flank via Don Cowie, whose cross was sent straight into the danger area right in front of the goalkeeper. Gardner, who had scored at the correct end of the pitch in the reverse fixture, attempted to head clear but only succeeded in diverting the ball past Speroni and into the back of the net. The game was just seven minutes out.

Game Date/Time: Wednesday, January 11, 2:45 p.m. ET, 7:45 p.m. local

Venue: Ethiad Stadium, Manchester, England

Liverpool and City both value the league more than the Carling Cup, but both are likely to play their best teams in mid-week. Partially because injuries and suspensions have given the managers little to choose from, and partially because they are not playing top competition in the league at the weekend.

Crystal Palace vs. Cardiff City - Tuesday, 3:00 p.m. ET.