The Reds travelled to Man City for the first leg of the semi final of the league cup and came away with a vital one nil win thanks to a Steven Gerrard penalty.
The Reds made a few changes to the side with Martin Kelly retaining his place in the side but at the expense of Jose Enrique as Glen Johnson played at left back instead.
The lights went down prior to the game which was all meant to build the tension up and the sides came out as they lit up the ground with what I can only say wasn't exactly full.
City got the game started but it was the Reds who settled first and got a foot on the ball. After just four minutes Carroll got the better of his man but his shot was well saved by Hart using his feet and the chance went.
Just before the ten minute mark and Gerrard forced Hart in to a save at full stretch which gave the Reds a corner. Gerrard flighted that to the back and Downing volleyed on goal which Agger flicked at goal and Hart again saved for a corner.
That corner was whipped in and it fell to Agger who took the ball down in the area and was then felled by Savic. The ref pointed straight to the spot and after a worry over Agger's injury Steven Gerrard picked the ball up and placed it on the spot. Gerrard had scored on Friday from the spot and he did so again - this time going low to the left and our good start was rewarded.
This was the perfect start to an away leg for us and City did look a bit shell shocked at the whole thing. They tried to hit straight back at the Reds with a cross for Balotelli which Reina cut out and then from the loose ball Aguero shot well wide.
As good as the night was going Spearing took a ball down and played a pass out wide but as soon as he played the ball he sat down and signalled to the bench that he was injured. Charlie Adam was called straight back and it was a straight swap in midfield for us.
The game had now slowed down in pace with the Reds now now safe in the knowledge that they had a goal up.
As the rain started to fall over the stadium you realised how open the stands are. As a relatively quiet game was plodding on it nearly sparked up as Adam fouled Balotelli and the Italian reacted after Adam gave him a tap on the shoulder but the ref was quick to step in and calm it all down with a warning to the Reds man.
On thirty four minutes Kelly forced a cross in and from quite far out Carroll headed just wide of the post with Hart watching it.
City were forced in to a change on thirty eight minutes when Balotelli who looked to be in one of those can't bothered moods was taken off and replaced by Samir Nasri.
On forty two minutes a rare shot at goal from City by Nasri had Reina at full stretch to push away a shot and it went right out for a throw. It did give City a bit of hope to be honest and they started to move the ball about a bit. Richards beat Johnson down the wing but his pull back to Milner only saw the player shoot over the bar when he really should have been scoring.
Just before the half time whistle Adam Johnson bent a free kick over the bar and the whistle went for half time. A good half for the Reds really with a goal to show for it as well.
The Reds were out first for the second half and it really had to be same again for the second half for me. It was now that I expected City to come out of the traps quickly.
Neither side made any changes to their line ups for the second half and the Reds got us started again.
City had a decent start to the half possession wise and much of the play was in the Liverpool half but other than territory stats it was doing little else for the home side as Reina had nothing to do. We were sitting there, hassling them to not give them too much space on the ball and doing well enough.
On the first time when they did just slide that crucial pass through for Aguero Skrtel was on hand to poke the ball away for a corner and Reina collected the ball well. He sent Henderson free down the right and he broke up the pitch but his final ball was cut out with neither Carroll or Bellamy making tat decisive move for the midfielder to find.
It woke the ground up but sadly not Kelly who gifted Aguero with a clear chance on goal but Reina was out fast and stood up well to put him off and despite rounding Pepe he then skied his shot from a tight angle.
The bench showed signs of movement with Enrique getting ready to come on - it seemed a quick reaction to Kelly and his poor back pass.
Prior to the change being made though City won a corner which Richards won in the air but Reina was behind the ball and saved it before grabbing hold of it at the second attempt.
The sub then came on fifty nine minutes but rather than a change of full back it was actually Downing who came off. It seemed to cause the back line all kinds of confusion for a minute or two as no-one seemed to know what was going on and I'm not sure I was either.
On sixty five minutes Aguero forced Reina in to a save low down but it was then City who made a switch with Dzeko coming on.
The shape for the Reds was now starting to settle down more with us going more of a five at the back - Glen Johnson being the middle centre back as a sweeper.
City were starting to stretch the play a little more now and get some room on the ball - Nasri shot just over on seventy minutes as he got far too much space just ahead of the defensive line.
On seventy one minutes Kolarov replaced De Jong and the Reds shuffled the defence about again with Martin Kelly now moving central and the confused Glen Johnson going right. This really didn't look like something that had been tested on the training ground but as long as we were winning one nil who cared.
On seventy eight minutes Reina was out well to put Barry off getting to a cross that came in. Agger then got the the ball and it eventually looped to Reina which then gave him time to have a right go at Enrique for not being close enough to his man.
On seventy nine minutes Jamie Carragher was sent on in place of Craig Bellamy as the Reds certainly went for keeping what we had.
On eighty five minutes there was a coming together of Nasri and Carragher which all seemed a bit of nothing but both players left the incident with a booking.
As the clock ticked on the only noise in the ground was from the Reds and You'll Never Walk Alone. In fairness our crowd was superb all night and by far the loudest.
On the ninety minute mark and just as the board went up Aguero headed over the bar and we were just starting to concede a few free kicks which brought pressure on to us.
For all the time though they couldn't make a way through the Reds and past them and after the three added minutes the ref blew the whistle to leave the Reds with a fine one nil win. The tie certainly isn't over but this is a great result.
MotM : Steven Gerrard - captain leading from the front as always when the chips are down. No more words are needed.
