Wembley looms large for Liverpool

MANCHESTER CITY slumped to their second home defeat in four days as Steven Gerrard’s early penalty moved Liverpool to within 90 minutes of their first Wembley appearance since 1996.

Lacking key men, including skipper Vincent Kompany who sat forlornly in the stands as he began a four-match ban, and drained by the energy exerted at having to play for 78 minutes with 10 men against Manchester United at the weekend, City were a shadow of their usual selves.

The only consolation came from knowing they could still reach a Carling Cup final against either Crystal Palace or Cardiff if they can reverse this result in the second leg at Anfield in a fortnight.

There was controversy too with matchwinner Gerrard rejecting Roberto Mancini’s criticism of a tackle by Glen Johnson.

Gerrard rebutted the City manager’s complaint over a tackle by Johnson on Joleon Lescott.

Mancini, whose side were without Kompany who was banned after being sent off for a two-footed challenge on Nani in the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United at the weekend, felt Johnson should have suffered similar punishment.

In the aftermath of that match, Mancini claimed that United’s Wayne Rooney had tried to influence the Kompany sending-off.

Gerrard said: “It surprises me because he had a go at Wayne Rooney. Now he has had a go at one of ours.”

Mancini admitted referee Lee Mason had been right to award the penalty but insisted he should have punished Johnson for sliding in two-footed on Lescott.

“I want to see the tackle by Johnson. I thought that was worse,” he said.

Mancini admitted the absence of Kompany, David Silva with an ankle injury and with Yaya and Kolo Toure at the African Nations Cup, had made it hard for his team.

He said: “It is clear that without three or four players it’s difficult.

“The result is not right. For me the result was a draw maybe.”

With Kolo Toure away, it forced the City boss to pitch 21-year-old Montenegrin Stefan Savic into the biggest game of his fledgling Blues career.

That Andy Carroll was able to spin away from him and race onto Stewart Downing’s through-ball said everything given the wretched time the Liverpool striker has had in his 12 months on Merseyside.

Returning keeper Joe Hart was equal to the shot, just as he was when Gerrard went for the far corner a couple of minutes later and Downing had an effort deflected towards the same area of his goal.

Savic had another trick up his sleeve though as Daniel Agger forced his way into the box from the corner. The youngster panicked, attempted to clear when he was nowhere near favourite to reach the ball and Agger bit the dust.

Referee Lee Mason awarded the spot-kick and Gerrard drove it past England team-mate Hart to put the visitors ahead.

That all this occurred inside the opening 11 minutes emphasised the difficulties City were having, and no one epitomised them more than Mario Balotelli.

An injury doubt beforehand, the Italian reacted in anger when Charlie Adam bundled him over, then tapped him on the head as he ran away.

Balotelli belted the subsequent free-kick into the wall and then hobbled away for no discernible reason.

After a few more minutes of relative inactivity, during which he let a straightforward pass roll out for a throw-in and gave a free-kick as he tried to make amends, Mancini decided he had seen enough.

Balotelli headed straight for the tunnel, bringing an end to another bizarre chapter in his career.

The home side had more frustration as Reina stayed on his feet long enough to prevent Aguero getting a shot on target in the second period after the South American had spotted Martin Kelly about to play a blind backpass. Jamie Carragher came on with 10 minutes to go to steady the ship in the face of a rising Blue wave and he helped the visitors hold out.

lNIKOLA ZIGIC’S 91st-minute winner clinched a dramatic 2-1 Championship victory for Birmingham over Ipswich last night. Lee Martin scored the Tractor Boys’ goal.

MAN CITY: Hart, Richards, Lescott, Savic, Clichy, Milner, Barry, De Jong (Kolarov 72), Johnson (Dzeko 66), Aguero, Balotelli (Nasri 39).

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Downing (Jose Enrique 59), Spearing (Adam 23), Henderson, Bellamy (Carragher 79), Gerrard, Carroll.

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)