Gary Mac Reveals: These Two Are ‘Key’ To FA Cup Glory

FORMER Reds midfield maestro Gary McAllister has given his thoughts ahead of Liverpool’s eagerly awaited FA Cup final clash with Chelsea. As part of the famous treble cup-winning season team in 2001 which included the FA Cup victory over Arsenal, the much-loved Scot knows what it takes to win the competition.

In this interview, Gary Mac reveals who he sees as the most influential current player in the Reds line-up, holding the key to what would be the second domestic trophy of the season, and discusses what really matters most to players – consistency in the league, or opportunities to win silverware.

What are your memories of that FA Cup win in 2001?

As nice as it would have been to have won the Cup at Wembley, to win it at the Millennium Stadium was fantastic. It’s a great arena. It was against Arsenal, and we got battered the whole game before Michael (Owen) came up with two wonderful goals late on.

But that UEFA Cup final was even better. When we went 2-0 up, I thought we were going to win by five or six, and then Alaves came storming back. To this day I’m sure that, when we got that Golden Goal, two or three of our boys turned to walk back to the halfway line because they thought we were going to kick off again. I’m not going to name names and make them look stupid, but they may, or may not, have been Germans.

Liverpool are in the FA Cup final this weekend – what do you see as the keys to the game?

Well, obviously I am a bit biased, but I think the influence that Steven Gerrard has on the game is always big for Liverpool. Generally, when he plays well and is influential then Liverpool win. I think he is very key to Liverpool. He has helped win an FA Cup final for them in the past, against West Ham in 2006.

So Gerrard is very big for Liverpool, but their maverick forward Luis Suarez is very exciting. He is a player who can frustrate at times, as he can give the ball away too easily, but then at other times he is sublime. When it’s a cup-tie football and it’s tight, you just need someone with that little bit of inspiration and magic, and he can produce that.
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Defensively I don’t think Liverpool have had much of a problem this season. Their goals against is as good as anybody in the league. But they have had a problem scoring goals.

I’ve been at Anfield a few times this season, and I have watched a lot of draws there against lesser teams. Against the bigger teams motivation hasn’t been a problem, they can always raise their game. But the problem has been against the so-called lesser teams. I think in perhaps three of the five draws I have seen at Anfield this season the opposition goalkeeper has won Man of the Match, so that tells you something right away.

What matters more to players – consistent league performances, or cup runs and opportunities to win silverware?

The way things are now, Liverpool could drift into the bottom half of the table, that’s a fact. That is the true reflection. I don’t think you can kid KennyDalglish. There are not many wiser men, as far as I’m concerned. But that is the barometer of where you’re at, where you finish in the league. The table doesn’t lie. At the end of 38 games it tells you a lot of things.

I also think that Kenny will be aware that the four big summer signings – Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam – have had a big ask to just come in and shine. I think the expectation level at Liverpool has surprised them. Next season’s going to be the big one for them.

Andy Carroll scored the winner in the semi-final – are there signs that Kenny Dalglish is starting to get the best out of him?

I have read things about how Kenny is starting to work out how Carroll operates. But I think the likely thing to have happened is that the penny has dropped for Carroll, and he has now figured out how to play for Liverpool. I think he has worked out that it maybe takes something a little bit different to shine there than at his previous team.

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