Venue: Wembley
Date: 14/04/12
Kick-Off: 12:30pm
After Liverpool’s appeal against Alexander Doni’s red card was unsuccessful, third-choice keeper Brad Jones will start in goal for the Reds on Saturday as Pepe Reina serves the final game of his three match ban.
Jones is set to make only his second start for Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final, with Peter Gulacsi likely to be on the bench after being recalled from Hull. Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez and Jose Enrique can expect to return to the starting line-up after all being rested for Tuesday’s 3-2 victory over Blackburn, while Stewart Downing will also hope to be restored to the first team XI.
At the back, Kenny Dalglish is likely to choose either Daniel Agger or Jamie Carragher to partner Martin Skrtel in central defence, with Sebastian Coates also in contention. Having played a bit part role for most of the season, it will be interesting to see if his brace against Blackburn is enough to keep Maxi Rodriguez in the first team. Andy Carroll, who headed home Liverpool’s late winner on Tuesday evening, will be more optimistic of a starting place.
Since Gerrard’s hat-trick inspired Liverpool to a 3-0 victory over Everton in last month’s Merseyside derby at Anfield, Liverpool have lost three of their last six matches. After beating Stoke 2-1 in the FA Cup quarter-final, the Reds went on a run of three straight Premier League defeats, before a 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa and Tuesday’s 3-2 win at Ewood Park followed.
Meanwhile, Everton have lost just once since being beaten by Liverpool, winning four of their last seven fixtures including a 4-0 victory over Sunderland on Monday – the team they beat in an FA Cup quarter-final replay after initially drawing 1-1 at home. Nikica Jelavic, who signed for Everton on the January transfer deadline day, was rested for Monday’s game and will almost certainly start at Wembley. Jelavic has scored five goals since signing for the Toffees, including both of their goals against Norwich on Saturday.
With a good run of form behind them, Everton will be optimistic about their chances of reaching their second FA Cup final in four years, but having performed much better in cup competitions this season than they have in the league, Liverpool are the bookies’ favourite to win on Saturday. Whatever happens, with the game taking place just one day before the 23rd anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, it is sure to be an emotional occasion. Ironically, it will be the first time Liverpool and Everton have met at Wembley since they faced each other in the 1989 FA Cup Final, which took place just five weeks after the Hillsborough tragedy.
[ad_pod id=”unruly-video” align=”center”]
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at live4liverpool@snack-media.com
Follow us on Twitter here: @live4Liverpool and ‘Like’ us on Facebook
