Will Fergie and Benitez bring big guns back for semi-finals?

IT’LL be fascinating to see the line-ups representing Liverpool and Manchester United in this week’s Carling Cup semi-finals.

No one can seriously question either’s right to downgrade the competition in terms of their priorities nor their freedom to field weakened elevens.

However, we’re now at the business end of things with a cup to be won and pride to be shown.

ANY Chelsea team is going to be a good one. Will Fergie resist the temptation to take them on properly, particularly with time running out in the Premiership?

I suspect he’ll do what he did in the 2003 final and, largely dispensing with the squad players and the kids that have taken them this far.

I’m sure he’s learnt enough from that embarrassment against Exeter on Saturday.

Liverpool’s position is different. Having beaten virtually full strength teams in Tottenham and Middlesbrough, why should Benitez change his approach at this stage? Won’t Liverpool have enough anyway to dispense with Watford?

I can see all sorts of reasons why I’d love the underdogs to win the cup.

It would be a poke in the eye for the big boys and success for a team that really set out to WIN it in the first place. That said, I’m going for a Chelsea/Liverpool final in February.