CARLING CUP LIVE: Liverpool v Manchester City – follow the action from Anfield as it happens
Follow Sportsmail's coverage of the Carling Cup as Liverpool host Manchester City at Anfield in the second leg of their semi-final. The Reds hold a 1-0 lead after securing victory in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium as they look to book their first trip to Wembley since 1996. Email me your thoughts on the game at dan.ripley@dailymail.co.uk or contact me on Twitter @Ripinho.
Liverpool 0-0 Manchester City (7.45pm)
Aggregate: 1-0
Click here for the live goals as they go in
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel,
Agger, Jose Enrique, Henderson, Adam, Downing, Gerrard, Bellamy, Kuyt.
Subs: Doni, Carroll, Maxi, Coates, Carragher, Shelvey, Kelly.
Man City: Hart, Richards, Savic,
Lescott, Kolarov, De Jong, Barry, Zabaleta, Silva, Nasri, Dzeko.
Subs:
Pantilimon, Milner, Johnson, Aguero, Hargreaves, Clichy, Rekik.
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
11min: That's a decent effort from Charlie Adam and I've seen him score from there on a few occasions. The Scot brings the ball inside from the left before firing low towards Hart from 25 yards. The City keeper though is fully behind to comfortably claim.
9min: City try to respond by regaining possession but Samir Nasri's speculative effort from 25 yards flies over the bar. Cue ironic cheers from the home fans.
7min: Meanwhile Steven Gerrard has been booked for a late foul on Gareth Barry in the centre of the park, as Hart makes easy meat of Glen Johnson's low shot from outside the box.
5min: What a way to save your side. Aleksandar Kolarov's clearance form a Stewart Downing cross falls straight for Jose Enrique six yards out, but his low shot is superbly blocked by Joe Hart. He isn't England's No. 1 for no reason.
3min: It's a battle on the pitch and in the stands so far. City seeing plenty of early possession and fans from both sides are attempting to out-sing each other.
Kick-off: Manchester City get us going, kicking towards the Kop.
19.44: From OptaJoe:
24 – Liverpool have only lost one of their last 24 home games in all competitions, winning 13 and drawing 10. Kop.
19.41: Out come the players then. Terrific atmosphere at Anfield – flags and all sorts. It's (almost) like a European night.
19.38: In fact, former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann believes winning this competition can spring further success for the Reds.
I don't quite buy into that, but then he has won the Champions League and I haven't (yet).
19.35: Looking at Anfield, it's good to see fans pouring into the ground for this game. Who said the Carling Cup was dead
19.31: Some predictions from me (about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike, you understand):
Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City (2-1 agg)
Sitting on the fence maybe, but I think this is going to be an entertaining affair.
Cardiff v Palace last night proved you don't always need goals to keep everyone awake inside the ground.
19.29: But from a City perspective, they will be aiming to reach the final of this competition for the first time since 1976.
Various pundits have them down as playing five or four at the back this evening, but either way it does seem to be a cautious line-up.
Roberto Mancini's tactical acumen has grown on me the last couple of years though so I'm sure he has something up his sleeve.
19.27: From OptaJoe:
4 – Despite winning the competition in four successive seasons as a player, Kenny Dalglish has never won the League Cup as a manager. Task
19.24: I still can't believe Liverpool haven't been to Wembley since 1996 (granted they went to Cardiff more than their fair share of times).
But just where have those 15 years gone Carling Cup or not, Reds fans must be dreaming of a return to the famous old stadium.
19.21: Any excuse to give those white suits another showing. Click here to read Dominic King's piece on why Liverpool's Steven Gerrard is up for the cup.
Trusted: Edin Dzeko leads Manchester City's attack at Liverpool
19.18: Striker Andy Carroll drops to the bench as manager Kenny Dalglish makes minimal changes to his Liverpool side to face Manchester City at Anfield in their Carling Cup semi-final second leg.
After Dalglish criticised the team after the weekend's 3-1 defeat at Bolton, the 35million record signing and Maxi Rodriguez are the only players to lose their place, with Stewart Downing and Dirk Kuyt replacing them.
Surprisingly, with striker Mario Balotelli having accepted his four-match suspension for stamping on Tottenham's Scott Parker at the weekend, City boss Roberto Mancini drops Sergio Aguero.
The three changes from Sunday's win over Spurs see Pablo Zabaleta, Nigel de Jong and Aleksandar Kolarov come in for Gael Clichy, James Milner and Aguero in a cautious-looking line-up as City look to overturn a 1-0 deficit.
19.13: And here are the full squads from Anfield:
Liverpool v Man City
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Jose Enrique, Henderson, Adam, Downing, Gerrard, Bellamy, Kuyt. Subs: Doni, Carroll, Maxi, Coates, Carragher, Shelvey, Kelly.
Man City: Hart, Richards, Savic, Lescott, Kolarov, De Jong, Barry, Zabaleta, Silva, Nasri, Dzeko. Subs: Pantilimon, Milner, Johnson, Aguero, Hargreaves, Clichy, Rekik.
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
19.08: Manchester City starting XI:
Hart, Richards, Savic, Lescott, Zabaleta, De Jong, Barry, Silva, Kolarov, Nasri, Dzeko.
19.05: Liverpool starting XI:
Reina, Johnson, Enrique, Skrtel, Agger, Downing, Kuyt, Adam, Henderson, Gerrard, Bellamy.
19.00: Apparently the best is saved until last, and on paper at least, that looks to be the case as Premier League heavyweights Liverpool and Manchester City collide in the second Carling Cup semi-final this week.
In truth though I will be mighty impressed if these two can serve up the same sort of action seen between Cardiff and Crystal Palace last night. But given the talent that could be on display this evening I'm backing another epic game here. Team news on the way.
Red alert: Liverpool hold the advantage after winning the first leg 1-0 at Manchester City