Steven Gerrard has warned his Liverpool team-mates they will be knocked out of the Carling Cup by Manchester City on Wednesday if they do not significantly raise their performance from their Premier League defeat at Bolton. The Reds lost 3-1 at Reebok Stadium on Saturday but have a 1-0 lead over City from the first leg at Etihad Stadium. Manager Kenny Dalglish criticised the players following the defeat. And Gerrard told the club website: "It was definitely justified." Gerrard's post-match interview after first-leg win at City The Liverpool captain added: "When you put in a performance like we did [against Bolton] as a group you expect criticism, especially from your manager. "There is no good time to perform like that when you play for this club. You have to win every game. "The fans won't accept it, they don't deserve it. It's not allowed. Otherwise you get criticised by your manager, like we have all experienced. "I have been here a long time and experienced days like that and the important thing is to move on from it fast. If we perform like that against Manchester City, there will be no Wembley trip." Read Lawro's verdict Reds boss Dalglish said the performance in the 3-1 defeat at Bolton was the worst since he returned to the club. After the match, he questioned the attitude and approach of his players. Dalglish said: "In the past we've rightly praised them when they've deserved it, we've given them plaudits when we've done well and we've congratulated them for the way they've gone about their work. "When you've been critical it doesn't mean to say you're getting any pleasure from it because we're all in it together. It's not the coaching staff and the players, it's everybody." Manchester City midfielder Adam Johnson believes the pressure will be on the home side in the second leg and expects his side to create opportunities to score at Anfield. He said: "It's a tricky one for them. Do they try to attack us or try to defend against our quality players for 90 minutes? Liverpool have won the League Cup more than any other side - 7 times They have also appeared in more finals than any other side with 10 "The thing is no matter who we play, we will create chances at some point. We beat them 3-0 at home, so we can score against them. "No-one is expecting us to go through so the pressure is off for once and we can go there with freedom, play our football and have a go. "It won't be easy but we are quietly confident." Liverpool take a 1-0 lead into the match at Anfield, thanks to a Gerrard penalty at Etihad Stadium but Dalglish is adamant the job is only half done. "We have a slight advantage, we just need to go into the game and compete," he added. "Hopefully it will be a fantastic occasion for everyone. "The punters will be turning up, there will be loads of support for us but we need to do something that's going to get the supporters on our side. We can't always leave it for them to lift us, sometimes we need to lift them." Gerrard, who has won the trophy twice before, in 2001 and 2003, and recently committed his long-term future to the club, wants to add to his silverware. And with those two finals - and the 2001 and 2006 FA Cup finals - held at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, Liverpool have not played at Wembley since their defeat by Manchester United there in the 1996 FA Cup final. "To lift the cup at Wembley would mean an awful lot. To get to Wembley is the target - to win it is the dream." ---------------------------------------------------------- LIVERPOOL have made an offer for £15m rated Udinese midfielder Mauricio Isla. The 23-year-old has caught the eye of Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish after impressing in Serie A this season. The Chilean international can play as a full-back, in midfield and even on the wing. Dalglish is preparing for a shake-up of his squad after losing 3-1 defeat at Bolton at the weekend. Mark Davies and Nigel Reo-Coker were able to put their side 2-0 up inside half an hour and although Craig Bellamy's seventh of the season reduced the deficit, Gretar Steinsson restored the two-goal cushion just five minutes into the second half. For the first time since returning as Reds boss just over a year ago, the Scot publicly criticised his squad. He said: "There is no-one at this football club who doesn't have respect for other people. If that was what the problem was, if they thought this game was not as important as the next one, then fine - but they won't be here." Dalglish believes they were distracted by Wednesday's forthcoming Carling Cup semi-final second leg against Manchester City, which they go into holding a slender 1-0 lead, and the FA Cup fourth round tie at home to Manchester United next weekend. He added: "The result is disappointing but the most disappointing thing for me was I don't think they were ready to play the game. I don't think the approach was correct, I don't think the way we went about our work was correct. The foundations the football club have always been built on is respect for other people. "It is built on the philosophy that the next game is the most important one, not the one that is two or three down the line. If they needed a lesson to be taught to them then this was it. If they think they can just turn up and get a result and not be competitive and not match the opposition for effort and then they have had a lesson. Wanderers made it 10 points from their last six matches to lift themselves out of the bottom three and manager Owen Coyle was delighted not just with the result but the performance. "When you play a club of the stature of Liverpool sometimes you can get a result and sometimes you ride your luck but nothing could be further from the truth," he said. "We were in good form coming into the game so we had great belief in the way we went about it. We believed we could win. The great thing was not just the win but how we won. It was a team performance. "I can't say it was pleasurable, having a late kick-off and watching the results come in. When you are second-bottom of the league it is quite agonising but when the dust settled we knew a win would take us out of the bottom three." -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thought I'd post this, gives us something to talk about before the game tonight. Enjoy
I really like the look of Isla, plays similar to Enrique from what I've seen; likes playing the ball on the ground, strong and pacey, likes to get forward. I hope he's got a good cross on him to supply Andy though...Apparantly Johnson is being shipped out this summer, so there may be some truth in this rumour.
Really? His choice I'm guessing? Unless we're being offered a huge sum I'm not sure why we'd want rid
I can see Chelsea wanting him again, possibly Arsenal. could see him wanting CL and with Richards quick on his heels he might feel the need to go a CL team to keep his place.
I haven't seen much of him, if he's pretty decent and cheap enough sign him up! Btw, I apologise- didn't realise there was something on Isla on the rumour thread already.
I really know fook all about players on the continent. Most of the ones being brought up I have no idea what they are like, I used to know more about foreign players a few years ago before I really used the internet on a regular basis. Mind you I used to watch more of Budesliga, La Liga and Serie A back then...have enough trouble watching PL games with the Mrs around these days.
Well Johnson's on a massive wage for his 'ability' and isn't really value for money. Club apparantly feels they can move him on, buy a replacement who's younger, better, on a lower wage and offers better resale value - Isla would fit the bill. I'd be fine with playing Kelly there 100% next season, but Isla is more flexible and could slot RM I guess. Anyway, lets hope KD's and Gerrard's comments this week really spur the lads on tonight. With our tails up, we're match for anyone - especially those overpaid mercenaries. If we get under their skin, they don't have the passion to play against us as saw last time round.
