oming as it does a day before the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster of 1989, it is an emotional weekend for those in the city and tensions will be running high as both sides look for some solace from a Premier League campaign that has not been kind to either. Liverpool, after all their investment, sit eighth; one point and one place ahead of them, Everton.

The Reds can claim to have had the better season to date as they have already landed the Carling Cup trophy, but there will be more than pride at stake when the Merseyside rivals meet again at Wembley for the first time since Liverpool beat the Toffees 3-2 in the 1989 final.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish, back in charge again as he was 23 years ago, has found it hard to manage expectations at Anfield after the club spent over £50 million on new players in the summer. But there have also been signs of success as Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing have all struggled to cope with their huge price tags; most notably the way in which they have dealt with the absence of midfield lynchpin Lucas and kept one of the best defensive records in the league.

Everton are not far behind though, on the back of considerably less investment. Manager David Moyes has never had money to spend at Goodison, which makes his job of hauling the club to seventh (scoring two less, but also conceding two less than the Reds) all the more impressive.

Instilling a battling mentality into the side with the likes of Phil Neville and Phil Jagielka, Moyes has worked wonders in the transfer window and, while there is a feeling that the squad lacks depth, Everton are still viewed as a tough proposition and warmed up well for the game with a 4-0 hammering of Sunderland.

In recent games Liverpool have held the edge, although the last time the two met in the FA Cup, in 2008-09, Everton knocked out their rivals after a replay. Still, on an emotional weekend, the form book can be torn up and whoever holds their nerve best will get their chance at Wembley again.

Liverpool player to watch: Brad Jones. The Australian is firmly in the spotlight after a red card virus took out Liverpool's top two goalkeepers - Pepe Reina and Alexander Doni. With both suspended, Jones will start the game with on-loan Peter Gulacsi called in as backup and he has the confidence of saving a penalty against Blackburn (although he conceded and let one in as well) behind him. His last appearance was in December 2010 so he may be a little ring-rusty but after the tragic year that he has had with the death of his young son, Jones deserves his moment in the sun.

Everton player to watch: Phil Neville. The Everton captain has come to embody everything about the club's hard-work ethic. Versatile to the point where he can still put in a shift in any defensive position, veteran Neville has been used as a full-back and has had to rely on his positional sense to compensate for his lack of pace. Experience in big games like this one is key and Neville has it in spades.

Key Battle: Luis Suarez v John Heitinga. Suarez's strengths and failings are well known to Premier League audiences now, but the Uruguayan still has a few tricks up his sleeve for opposition defenders. With close control that rivals the very best in the world, his dribbling and vision creates chances for his team-mates and while he is still prone to tantrums and swan dives, the striker will be a thorn in the side of Everton all afternoon long. Manager Moyes has a choice to make in his defence as Jagielka and Heitinga may well displace Sylvain Distin onto the bench. Of the two, Heitinga deserves his place more as, ahead of the weekend, he has produced the most defensive blocks for Everton in the league this season (29) and has also been involved in nine of their 12 clean sheets. With 31 starts from 40 games this season - some achievement given he didn't begin a league game until the end of October - Heitinga will need to build on his fine season to date in order to keep Liverpool's menace quiet.

Trivia: The only scouser to win the FA Cup with Liverpool and Everton is Gary Ablett, who died in January after a long battle against cancer.

Stats: Everton have struggled for goals in recent years, but have scored 12 times in their last five matches, including four on Easter Monday, all from different players.

Match

Liverpool spent about £100m and £50m as quoted
I think Liverpool will carry the day at Anfield nothing can wrong with this match...YNWA

Game on!!

chucky234: Liverpool spent about £100m and £50m as quoted
I think Liverpool will carry the day at Anfield nothing can wrong with this match...YNWA

At Wembly not Anfield. . .
May the better side win.
KTBFFH!

go go everton

goooaaal!!

Jelavic scores for everton

hmmm

Liverpool abeg make una try naaa ,wetin self

It is a derby match-so anything can happen! [img]http://www.crzxy.info/abs[/img]

mukina2: goooaaal!!

Jelavic scores for everton

This Jelavic guy is red hot ooo

Carroll, another miss. Too often!!!

Dalglish needs to go. Today again, Maxi is warming the bench with Bellamy and Kuyt. Please old man, just go. Go now, while we still have some respect left for you.

Goal! Suarez!
1:1

rAbbit teeth scores

Carroll, you're just an i d i o t! You should be sold to Wigan for $300,000. I don't blame you, no other club would start you in place of Bellamy!

gooaaal!!!!

carrol scores

2 -1 liverpool

Carrol! Finally!
2:1

heya, its chelsea VS liverpool in the final. Thumbs-up for Liverpool for their dramatic comeback nd gudluck to the 'herdsman' on the pitch(caroll) but, they won't win the trophy because my beloved Chelsea would stun them. Up Blues!!!

laykhorn: heya, its chelsea VS liverpool in the final. Thumbs-up for Liverpool for their dramatic comeback nd gudluck to the 'herdsman' on the pitch(caroll) but, they won't win the trophy because my beloved Chelsea would stun them. Up Blues!!!

Whatever dude! I wonder who won in our last 4 outings. I wish Chelsea makes it to the finals. Chelsea's our little B I T C H.............we F U C K you guys anyday, anyway, anywhere!!!!

Henry40: Carrol! Finally!
2:1

Great! [img]http://www.spgames.info/g.gif[/img]

2-1 ! YNWA !

Henry40:

Whatever dude! I wonder who won in our last 4 outings. I wish Chelsea makes it to the finals. Chelsea's our little B I T C H.............we F U C K you guys anyday, anyway, anywhere!!!!

Yea, without condom! I pray for a Chelsea final...then it's a done deal! My double season..

Chelsea is our beloved wife in whom we are well pleased. We slam them constantly, often without condom .
BUT this time I pray we meet hotspurs instead. When we play Chelsea in an all important game, the team that is expected to win, which is the team that has won the other more in that season and has never lost to them, ends up loosing.

This yr we've won Chelsea twice at home. This may be thier turn. I'll be more confident if we loose to Chelsea at anfield before the final. I'll really prefer to play tottenham. But unfortunately Chelsea will be at the final, bc tottenham are not good enough for the big games.

Is that the toshmann of good old Nairaland - or a fake? Anyways, me sef don laugh die. The things we see on nairaland these days....makes me wonder.

top 4 >>> carling cup + fa cup. You'll always walk alone. Goonergunner

ono: Is that the toshmann of good old Nairaland - or a fake? Anyways, me sef don laugh die. The things we see on nairaland these days....makes me wonder.

Na me live and direct from cincinnati ohio . No mind me, America with their baseball and NBA and super bowl no de gree me follow soccer as I used to.

emmke: top 4 >>> carling cup + fa cup. You'll always walk alone. Goonergunner

My friend I guess things will be better If you keep your oral cavity in a permanent condition of mute
After all we beat you guys in London 2-0 early in the season.

And they shall NEVER walk alone!!! Even if they are relegated we shall never leave them alone bc Liverpool is more than a soccer club. It's family. It's collegial. It's a bond that's worth more than trophies. And guess what, the trophies come.

Finally, talk to me when you get your FIRST champions league victory. Until then, obstruct your disinhibited oro-cerebral disjunction.

We never walk alone