Allen Hamilton
What: English FA Cup (semi-final)
Who: Liverpool vs Everton
When: Saturday, 14th April, 2012, at 12:30 UK Time
Where: Wembley, London, England
On A Warning
Liverpool’s build-up to the FA Cup semi-final has been somewhat overshadowed by the club’s owners shaking up Anfield after expressing disappointment at a Premier League campaign gone badly wrong. Fenway Sports Group (FSG), who bankrolled a spending spree of over £100M since January 2011 (helpfully aided by the sale of Fernando Torres to Chelsea for £50M), expected to see Kenny Dalglish and co. challenging to return to the top four. What has instead been on display has been a series of moribund displays resulting in 11 league losses so far.
Now, with director of football Damien Comolli and head of sports science and medicine Peter Brukner bundled out, Dalglish, his coaching staff, and the players have been put on notice that ending the season with just the League Cup is not good enough. FSG are well aware that UEFA’s new financial fair play rules could result in an almost impossible task of re-entering the elite, if too much ground is lost.
But those thoughts must be put to one side for now, with a season-defining game to play. Losing out to Everton, a side Liverpool crushed 3-0 at Anfield in the middle of their recent bad run of form, would be disastrous and that, combined with finishing below the Toffees in the Premier League, would ratchet up the pressure on Dalglish to unimaginable levels. When Everton topped Liverpool in 2005, the Reds could point to the European Cup; pointing to the League Cup does not have quite the same impact.
"This is not only a semi-final, it is a semi-final against Everton", said skipper Steven Gerrard, emphasising the occasion’s importance. "For everyone at this club and everyone at Everton, it’s a massive game. It could change our season for the best. I’m not going to play it down because everyone knows how big it is to me and everyone here at the club."
Emerging from the Shadow
For Everton, over 20 years has been spent in Liverpool’s shadow. While the Toffees may have overachieved given the resources at their disposal and manager David Moyes worked wonders, it is difficult to seize media attention when Liverpool are still, despite failing to win the league for over 20 years, picking up trophies and splashing large amounts of cash. This game could, Everton hope, thrust them back onto the spotlight – and that is essential when the Goodison Park outfit want a wealthy investor of their own.
Moyes though has moved to take the pressure off his men, labelling Liverpool as "favourites" and stressing that the Reds are expected to progress. But even this has not dented optimism, with increasing numbers of Everton fans believing that this is the perfect opportunity not just to knock out Liverpool, but to win the FA Cup, too.
"The way Liverpool are playing and that Everton are above them in the league, then most people are saying we are favouites", commented former Everton defender Ian Snodin. "The Liverpool fans are saying that."
The Toffees come into this one on a run of fine form. Thrashing a resurgent Sunderland 4-0 last Monday will have sent confidence rippling through the squad. And Moyes will have his men steeled for a Wembley test that could change everything on Merseyside.
Recent form
Liverpool:
Newcastle United 2-0 Liverpool (01/04; Premier League)
Liverpool 1-1 Aston Villa (07/04; Premier League)
Blackburn Rovers 2-3 Liverpool (10/04; Premier League)
Everton:
Everton 2-0 West Brom (31/03; Premier League)
Norwich City 2-2 Everton (07/04; Premier League)
Everton 4-0 Sunderland (09/04; Premier League)
Key absences
Liverpool: Jose Reina (suspended); Doni (suspended); Lucas; Martin Kelly
Everton: Steven Pienaar (cup-tied); Jack Rodwell
Players to watch
Liverpool – Luis Suarez: In the midst of Liverpool’s poor form, Suarez has still shown flashes of his brilliance. The occasion of Wembley should be well suited to the Uruguayan, who is capable of blitzing Everton out of the FA Cup if given time and space to do damage.
Everton – Phil Neville: While the challenge may daunt some in the Everton ranks, one man who has seen it all before is Neville. At Manchester United the Toffees star got used to picking up trophies. His calming influence could be vital in this game if Everton take the lead.
Match Prediction
Form goes out of the window here and the game will simply be decided by which team turns up on the day. Liverpool’s experience of Wembley from the League Cup final earlier this season may hand them a slight advantage, but Everton will not make matters easily. Expect a close game which the Reds will edge, possibly down to a piece of Suarez magic. Liverpool 2-1 Everton.
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