Published: 22 Feb 2012 – 13:47:00

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is set to fulfil a boyhood dream on Sunday when he leads his side out at Wembley for the Carling Cup final.

The England international has won a host of medals for the Merseyside club after he helped the Reds to two FA Cups, two League Cups, the UEFA Cup and the Champions League. However, Gerrard has never led Liverpool out at Wembley – something he admits has always been an ambition since he first watched his side lose to Manchester United there in 1996.

The Reds won four major trophies during the five seasons that English domestic cup finals were held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, but Gerrard told the Liverpool Echo: “When growing up as a kid, I dreamed about playing in cup finals at Wembley. Then when I became captain of Liverpool, I dreamed about leading the team out there.”

He added: “Every time I played for Liverpool at Cardiff and led the team out there, there was a bit of me thinking ‘if only this was Wembley’.

“Don’t get me wrong, we had some great days in Cardiff and I’ve got some fantastic memories of playing at the Millennium Stadium, but I’d have preferred to have won those trophies at Wembley.”

Wembley holds special memories for the Reds skipper as he made his England debut at the old ground 12 years ago before captaining his country at the new stadium. And Gerrard cannot wait to lead out his side wearing the red shirt of Liverpool – the club he has played for during his entire career.

“Wembley cup finals are magnificent occasions. I’ve been there as a supporter and as a player. I know everyone is excited about Sunday and I can’t wait to get back there,” he said.

“To finally get the chance to achieve that with Liverpool will be amazing. I’ve experienced both the old and the new Wembley and I can tell you it’s a very special place.

“You walk out and are hit by the number of people there. It’s new and it’s modern but the buzz is just the same as it was.

“There’s the drive up to it, up Wembley Way. Instead of the twin towers, there’s now the massive arch. It’s a magnificent arena and one of the best I’ve ever played in.”

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Published: 21 Feb 2012 – 08:16:56

Liverpool have been accused by equality campaigners of ‘critically undermining’ the fight against racism in football with their support for Luis Suarez.

The Uruguay striker was banned for eight games for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during the two sides’ Barclays Premier League clash at Anfield in October. Though the club decided against an appeal, they have repeatedly made clear their dissatisfaction with the guilty verdict.

Suarez compounded the problem by refusing to shake Evra’s hand ahead of the return fixture on February 11, and an open letter from local and national black leaders has called on the club and player to apologise to Evra.

Both Liverpool and Suarez apologised for the handshake incident and Suarez issued a public apology five days after the Football Association released their written judgement on the case, though he has never apologised directly to Evra in a public forum.

The letter, displayed in full on the National Black Police Association (NBPA) website, read: “LFC actions, in vehemently rejecting the findings of the FA inquiry, their public displays of support for a player found guilty of racist abuse and his subsequent refusal to shake the hand of Evra at a recent game is completely unacceptable.

“These actions we believe could be considered as inciting racial intolerance.

“Whilst the subsequent apologies for the failure to engage with the traditions of a pre-game handshake are to be welcomed, there remains deep concern about LFC’s absolute refusal to accept the findings of the FA’s investigation.

“As such these apologies fail to meet the test of genuine remorse and understanding. This is further negated by LFC’s failure to apologise for racism either through the club or Suarez.

“Neither have LFC recognised or acknowledged the consequent damage to race relations resulting from their actions and recognised by many people of all races across the country. As a result efforts to combat racism in football and the wider society in general have been critically undermined.”

The open letter is signed by members of the Liverpool Black Leadership Forum, Merseyside TUC, North West United Against Facism, the Society of Black Lawyers and the NBPA, among others.

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Published: 20 Feb 2012 – 15:47:03

Defender Jose Enrique believes Liverpool’s cup exploits have set the stage for a strong finish on all fronts.

The Reds thrashed Brighton 6-1 on Sunday to book an FA Cup quarter-final with Stoke and to warm up perfectly for next week’s Carling Cup final showdown with Cardiff. Spanish left-back Enrique also has his sights on Champions League football next year and is confident of securing a top-four Barclays Premier League finish.

The 26-year-old said: “At the moment we are doing well. We are in one final and the quarter-finals in another cup, and I think in the league we are just four points behind the Champions League teams. We have had many games this year we haven’t won but we have had many new players. With every game we play better together.”

He added: “I think it is good we are in the next round. We’ve got Stoke at home and we’ve got a good chance of getting into another final.

“Now we will prepare to play Cardiff. Everyone thinks because we’re playing against a Championship team it will be an easy game but we know it’s going to be hard.”

Liverpool will head to Wembley in good heart as they seek their first trophy since 2006.

Enrique, who joined the club from Newcastle last summer, said: “It is the first game we have scored many goals and of course it is great.

“I think it is good for confidence for next week because it is really important, the final, and we have to win that.

“We know this season we haven’t scored many goals in the league games, so this is good for us.

“In football every week changes – if you lose next week this means nothing. You have to think in the future and that is why this game is confidence for the next one. That is how we have to think now.”

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Published: 20 Feb 2012 – 02:16:53

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is keen to see Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll play together on a regular basis after they all featured in the FA Cup thrashing of Brighton.

Despite Suarez and Carroll arriving at Anfield in January last year, the trio started together for the first time in the 6-1 fifth round home win Sunday.

Both Gerrard and Carroll have struggled with injuries, while Suarez only recently returned from an eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.

They had been restricted to just 69 minutes together on the pitch before the Cup tie but they showed just how prolific they can be by helping the Reds to their biggest win since Dalglish returned to the club 13 months ago.

“Someone said they’d played 69 minutes before so I assumed they must have started somewhere,” said Liverpool great Dalglish.

“The more anybody or any team gets the players that are iconic like they are on the pitch, the better chance they’ve got of being successful.

“But we’ve got more than three players and the fact that we’ve done as well as we have and that’s the first time they’ve (all) started a match tells you how well the rest of the boys have done as well.

“We’ll stand and be counted as a squad and I don?t think we?ve done too badly this year,” added Dalglish, who will take his side to Wembley next weekend to play another second-tier club in Cardiff in the League Cup final.

Carroll’s goal against Brighton, which helped set up an FA Cup quarter-final at home to Stoke, was just his eighth since his £35 million ($55 million) move to Anfield from Newcastle 13 months ago.

But Dalglish maintains he has never been swayed by the criticism the striker has received since his expensive transfer.

“We’ve always been positive and we always will be and we’ll always be supportive of any player that comes to this football club.

“It doesn?t matter what his name is, we’ll judge him and we’ll judge whether we’re happy or unhappy.”

Dalglish revealed Craig Bellamy and Daniel Agger had pulled out of the squad in the days running up to the game at Anfield.

But he is hopeful that the pair will be available to play against Cardiff.

“There are no injuries from the game as far as we know but we had a couple on Friday and Saturday with ‘Bellars’ and Daniel Agger,” said Dalglish. “We’ll just have to see how they are but they should be alright.”

Liverpool opened the scoring after just four minutes when Martin Skrtel headed in Gerrard’s corner and after Kazenga Lua Lua pulled Brighton level, Liam Bridcutt’s own goal gave the Reds a half-time advantage.

Carroll added a third before further own goals from Bridcutt and Lewis Dunk and a Suarez header, after he had missed a penalty, completed the scoring.

It was Brighton?s first defeat of 2012 and manager Gus Poyet hoped it would be a valuable lesson for his players.

“People are talking about promotion and things and I said I want to be ready and we are not,” Poyet explained. “People think I’m being negative but maybe now they will say I was right.

“I learned a lot and I hope they did the same because if they want to play in the Premier League as a team or as individuals they know what it takes now.”

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Published: 20 Feb 2012 – 00:51:02

In a season that began with a top-four Barclays Premier League finish seemingly a pre-requisite, Liverpool and their manager Kenny Dalglish may yet find it is England’s two domestic cup competitions that save them.
On Sunday at Anfield it was hard to believe this great club have been smothered by controversy and are struggling to impose themselves at the top end of the table.

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Published: 19 Feb 2012 – 22:34:56

Steven Gerrard is targeting a Wembley double after Liverpool surged into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 6-1 demolition of Brighton.
The Carling Cup finalists will play Stoke, who beat Crawley 2-0 on Sunday, in the last-eight date at Anfield next month and an all-Merseyside clash in the capital remains possible after Everton were paired with Sunderland.

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Published: 19 Feb 2012 – 22:14:30

Steven Gerrard hailed the performance of striker Andy Carroll after Liverpool strolled into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a 6-1 thrashing of Brighton at Anfield.
Brighton scored three own goals but Carroll was among the Liverpool players who also got on the scoresheet, along with strike partner Luis Suarez who missed a penalty but responded by heading in a late goal.
With the Carling Cup final on the horizon next week, Liverpool could have been forgiven for having their attentions elsewhere, but Gerrard believes their performance shows they can get better for the rest of the season with all of their top players available.

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Published: 19 Feb 2012 – 19:17:05

Two own goals from Liam Bridcutt and a third by Lewis Dunk helped Liverpool to a 6-1 win over second-tier Brighton at Anfield here Sunday as they set up an FA Cup quarter-final tie with Stoke.

The Reds, who have not won any silverware since the 2006 FA Cup, face another Championship side in Cardiff in the League Cup final at Wembley next weekend.

But they also moved into the last eight of the FA Cup with a convincing display against Gus Poyet’s team.

Martin Skrtel made the breakthrough in the fifth minute and although Kazenga Lua Lua pulled Brighton level, Bridcutt’s first own goal sent Liverpool in ahead at the interval.

Andy Carroll scored a third with a low finish just before the hour, Bridcutt and Dunk scored own goals and, after missing a penalty, Luis Suarez added a sixth from close range.

It was the first time in history a team had scored three own goals in one FA Cup tie.

With Suarez, Carroll and Steven Gerrard starting for the first time together, Liverpool wasted little time in going ahead.

Gerrard’s corner picked out Skrtel, who peeled away at the near post and glanced a header past Brighton keeper Peter Brezovan.

But the visitors drew level when Lua Lua made Jordan Henderson pay for giving away an unnecessary free-kick on the edge of the area by driving the ball powerfully past Reina at the goalkeeper’s near post.

As the hosts continued to offer all of the attacking threat, Carroll headed wide from a Charlie Dam cross, Jose Enrique missed with a right-foot shot after a strong run and Inigo Calderon hacked off the line after Suarez had beaten Brezovan with a stabbed shot.

Charlie Adam drilled over from 25 yards and Carroll also saw a header from a Gerrard cross fly narrowly over the bar.

Lua Lua missed the chance to add a second for Brighton when he saw his effort hit the side-netting after another impressive run.

Brighton were once again grateful for Brezovan, who tipped over from a bending Gerrard free-kick.

But just before the interval the Reds went ahead thanks to Bridcutts own goal.

Brezovan pushed a corner straight into the air but blocked Suarez’s follow-up and when Glen Johnson headed towards the corner, Sam Vokes headed away only for the ball to bounce into the net off Bridcutt.

Liverpool continued to do all of the pressing after the restart, with Suarez’s neat chip held by Brezovan.

Henderson failed to worry Brezovan with a long-range effort but Liverpool scored a third just before the hour.

Gerrard slipped a pass wide for Stewart Downing and the winger provided a low cross for Caroll to produce a neat finish at the near post for his sixth goal of the season.

With just under 20 minutes remaining Liverpool scored a fourth when they broke quickly from a Brighton corner and when Gerrard’s initial effort was blocked by Brezovan, the Liverpool captain’s cross was again turned into his own net by Bridcutt.

Suarez could have made it six after Dirk Kuyt was pulled down by Craig Noone in the area but the Uruguayan’s penalty was pushed away by Brezovan.

But with five minutes remaining, Enrique’s cross was headed back across goal by Carroll and Suarez nodded in from just a couple of yards out.

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Published: 19 Feb 2012 – 19:01:23

Reds through in style

Brighton contributed an amazing three own goals to Liverpool’s biggest win since September 2009 as the Reds booked an FA Cup sixth round meeting with Stoke.

Liam Bridcutt twice turned the ball into his own net, the first, just before half-time after Kazenga Lua Lua had levelled Martin Skrtel’s early header proving crucial.

Lewis Dunk also scored an own goal, although Reds boss Kenny Dalglish will be more pleased that man-of-the-match Andy Carroll was also on target before setting up Luis Suarez, who had already missed a penalty.

It was a good day all round for Liverpool, so much so that Jamie Carragher could even have a joke with a male streaker, who entered the playing area in stoppage time.

For, after six barren seasons, Liverpool now have the familiar scent of silverware in their nostrils.

Whilst the financiers might place a Champions League berth at the top of their list of targets over the remaining weeks, for supporters, days out at Wembley are special.

In seven days’ time, Kenny Dalglish will lead his team into a Carling Cup final confrontation with Cardiff. It could turn out to be the first leg of a double.

Dalglish could not have wished for a better start. Distracted by the presence of the excellent Carroll, who was wrestled to a standstill by Adam El-Abd, Brighton allowed Skrtel a free run at Steven Gerrard’s near-post cross. The header was firm enough to send it whistling past Peter Brezovan.

Brighton were fortunate to escape when they fell asleep at a quickly-taken free-kick, allowing Gerrard to shoot narrowly wide.

The visitors were being so comprehensively outplayed that it came as something of a surprise that they levelled, with Lua Lua – teed up by a training ground free-kick routine – expertly finding the bottom corner from 25 yards with a low shot.

The injection of confidence was clear, triggering an open contest.

Carroll nodded a Gerrard cross over, Inigo Calderon superbly cleared off the line to deny Suarez and Gerrard’s free-kick was tipped over by Brezovan.

In return, the speedy Lua Lua flashed a shot into the side-netting after he had scorched past Glen Johnson.

After all that, Liverpool’s second goal was scrappy.

Suarez, booed by the Brighton fans even though their manager Gustavo Poyet had backed his fellow countryman in the recent racism row on plenty of occasions, produced some neat trickery to create a shooting opportunity for himself.

Brezovan was equal to it but when the rebound bounced kindly for Johnson, the full-back turned his header goalwards. Sam Vokes thought he had cleared, only for the ball to strike Bridcutt at point blank range and bounce back into the net.

Within 10 minutes of the restart, Jordan Henderson nearly turned home an off-target Gerrard shot and Brezovan denied Downing.

When Downing cut a cross back for Carroll, the burly striker swept home first time from 10 yards. It was no more than the big Geordie deserved – fit and firing, his size provides a threat no defence will find easy to contain.

Brighton failed to manage it and with three goals in his last 10 appearances, Carroll is beginning to find the form which brought him such prominence at Newcastle.

The visitors’ nightmare was not over though.

First Bridcutt was in the wrong place at the wrong time again as Gerrard’s low cross bounced off him at the near post to provide Liverpool with a second own goal.

Then Dunk joined in the act. After succeeding only in kneeing the ball towards his own goal as he tried to juggle and clear, Dunk deserved to be punished for sheer stupidity – although there was some doubt as to whether it crossed the line.

After substitute Dirk Kuyt had been felled 10 minutes from time, the party atmosphere demanded Suarez take the spot-kick .

In keeping with the slapstick, he missed, only to atone from Carroll’s nod down shortly afterwards to emphatically stamp Liverpool’s presence in the last eight.

Liverpool 6-1 Brighton: Match Report – view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.

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Published: 19 Feb 2012 – 18:47:01

Brighton scored three own goals as Liverpool cruised into the FA Cup quarter-finals following a 6-1 victory at Anfield.

Liam Bridcutt twice turned into his own and Lewis Dunk also suffered the indignity of scoring at the wrong end when he spectacularly failed to clear a cross.

Liverpool were pegged back after Martin Skrtel’s opener by a stunning Kazenga LuaLua strike but their progress was never in doubt with Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez – who missed a penalty – also on target.

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