11 January2012 11 Date: 11 January 2012 Times Guardian Independent Opposition: Manchester City Mail Mirror Telegraph Competition: Echo MEN Johnson (sub: E Dzeko, 66min), N de Jong (sub: A Kolarov, 72), G Barry, J Milner - M Balotelli (sub: S Nasri, 39), S Aguero. Substitutes not used: C Pantilimon, N City suffer rare shutout as Dalglish nears return to Wembley Onuoha, P Zabaleta, O Hargreaves. Booked: Nasri. Liverpool (4-2-3-1): J M Reina - M Kelly, M Skrtel, D Agger, G Johnson - J Spearing Manchester City 0 Liverpool 1 (sub: C Adam, 23), S Gerrard - C Bellamy (sub: J Carragher, 79), J Henderson, S To judge by the resolve with which they defended their first-leg lead last Downing (sub: J Enrique, 59) - A Carroll. Substitutes not used: A Doni, S Coates, J night, Liverpool will not be moved in their pursuit of a first trophy since 2006. A Shelvey, D Kuyt. Booked: Carragher. dogged, determined, intelligent performance put them in control of this semi- Referee: L Mason. final tie and, in doing so, heightened Roberto Mancini's concerns that Manchester City are flagging. Top of the Barclays Premier League they may be, but this, courtesy of Steven Gerrard's thirteenth-minute penalty, was City's third defeat in their past five matches in all competitions. Unquestionably they paid a price for their exertions in chasing an FA Cup comeback against Manchester United on Sunday, but since November 19 they have won just six out of 13 matches and, Gerrard draws first blood for Liverpool with Vincent Kompany suspended, the Toure brothers on Africa Cup of Nations Captain's penalty gives Reds semi-final advantage: City lose at home for second duty and Mario Balotelli joining David Silva on the injured list, they looked tired time in four days last night. No matter what they tried in a much-improved second-half After going through the whole of 2011 without losing on their own ground, performance City could not find a way throughLiverpool's defence, which grew in Manchester City have now been beaten twice in the space of four days and are defiance and in numbers as the night went on. By the end Kenny Dalglish had a beginning to look conspicuously thin around the edges. Steven Gerrard's 13th- five-man back line protected by Jamie Carragher in a midfield holding role, with minute penalty puts Liverpool in a position of strength going into the second leg Gerrard looking exhausted as he continued a comeback that he hopes will include of this Carling Cup semi-final when it will need a significant improvement from the lifting the Carling Cup at Wembley on February 26. Premier League leaders if they are to prevent Kenny Dalglish's team from Gerrard did his bit in the first half, driving Liverpool forward to vindicate Dalglish's confirming a trip to Wembley. Rarely have City looked so devoid of imagination belief that they could punish any tiredness in the City ranks. They took the game this season. Liverpool took an early lead, threatened more goals and then to Mancini's team, forcing Joe Hart into a succession of fine saves before the eventually settled for a backs-to-the-wall operation during a second half in which goalkeeper was beaten by Gerrard's penalty, awarded after Daniel Agger was the home side's possession was not accompanied by the wit or gumption to break brought down by the initially hapless Stefan Savic. With no Kompany to hold the down a team displaying great defensive qualities of industry and organisation. defence together and no Yaya Toure to impose himself against Gerrard in central The two sides renew acquaintances at Anfield in a fortnight's time and Liverpool, midfield, City found themselves under pressure from an early stage last night. the seven-time winners, should be greatly encouraged about the way they As early as the fifth minute, Liverpool manufactured what looked like a clear matched and, at times, outdid a side that have managed 56 league goals opportunity as Andy Carroll was sent clear by Stewart Downing, but the forward, compared to their own tally of 24. City looked weary at times. They had used up a his confidence low, shot straight at the advancing Hart as he came under pressure lot of energy and emotion in Sunday's FA Cup defeat to Manchester United and from Savic. Dalglish must have been feeling a sense of deja vu, given that Hart they were missing their captain, Vincent Kompany, as well as two of Roberto denied Downing in similar fashion in the league fixture, but Liverpool would soon Mancini's other mandatory first-team picks, David Silva and Yaya Toure. The find themselves 1-0 up. Taking the game to City, they were dominating, with Hart Etihad has been a formidable stadium for opposition teams on Mancini's watch forced into another save from Gerrard's longdistance shot, which he pushed but for long spells they looked laboured and a good notch or two below what is around the post, and then called into action again as, from the resulting corner, usually seen of them on their own ground. As for Mario Balotelli, he lasted only 39 Gerrard picked out Downing, whose volley was flicked goalwards by Agger and minutes before being withdrawn. Shortly before, he had allowed a simple pass to saved superbly by the England goalkeeper. Joleon Lescott scrambled the ball run over his boot and go out for a throw-in. The striker, sent off in the league behind for a second corner. City were creaking, with Hart imploring his team- at Liverpool in November, took exception to one challenge from Charlie Adam mates to raise their game. But they did not. From the next corner, Savic caught and had to be restrained from taking the argument further. Agger late as they contested a ball at chest height. Lee Mason, the referee, It was difficult to be clear whether he was still struggling with the ankle injury that immediately pointed to the penalty spot, from which Gerrard broke Hart's had kept him out for the previous two games, but there was something very resistance with one of the most emphatic spot kicks you will ever see. deliberate about the way he and Mancini ignored each other on the touchline. Liverpool were looking comfortable, but their mission was complicated by an Balotelli went straight down the tunnel and it added to the sense of a night that injury to Jay Spearing midway through the first half. An understated stand-in for was not going to plan. Liverpool, in contrast, had began the game as if affronted Lucas Leiva, Spearing has the discipline -- tactically, if not always in the tackle -- to by the memories of their 3-0 league defeat here last week. They were quick to the give them a solid foundation in midfield, but his departure required Gerrard and ball, strong in the challenge and, even before Gerrard's penalty, there were three Charlie Adam to curb their attacking instincts while Jordan Henderson operated separate moments when it was only Joe Hart's goalkeeping that had kept them behind Carroll. The visiting team became more cautious, particularly as Micah out. The third of those saves, diving full length to his left to turn away a deflected Richards started to give City some much-needed attacking impetus from right Stewart Downing volley, was a truly exceptional piece of goalkeeping. Yet it was back. As half-time approached Richards, wearing the captain's armband, burst rare to see City so open and it was in this flurry of attacking that Liverpool's down the right to cross from the touchline, only for James Milner to miss the pressure eventually led to Gerrard driving his spot kick emphatically into the target. By then, Balotelli had made an uncharacteristically low-key exit, making bottom corner. Perhaps in hindsight Mancini might regret not moving Micah way for Samir Nasri. The Italy forward had not looked fit or focused all night, his Richards across from the right side of defence to partner Joleon Lescott in the evening summed up by the incident when he was fouled by Adam, squared up to centre and bring in Pablo Zabaleta at full-back. Instead, Stefan Savic was given the the Liverpool midfielder and, still raging, struck the resulting free kick so fiercely responsibility to stand in for the suspended Vincent Kompany and it was a gamble that he seemed to aggravate the ankle injury that had kept him out of the FA Cup that backfired. Savic's challenge on Daniel Agger was raw and mistimed, catching derby on Sunday. Beyond a Carroll header that went narrowly wide, after Martin him just above the knee, and it was not his only mistake of a difficult evening. One Kelly ventured down the right, Liverpoolseemed far more interested in preserving misplaced pass inside his own penalty area led to voluble dissent from the crowd than extending their lead. The second half was certain to bring a stiffer test of and, without Kompany, there was a vulnerability that does not normally exist. their resolve and indeed within 15 minutes of the restart City had threatened on Liverpool had the advantage of having two days' extra rest and in the opening 45 three occasions. There was a suspicion that Sergio Aguero was lacking his usual minutes they seemed to be getting to every loose ball first. Their momentum was sharpness after exerting so much energy while playing as a lone striker on Sunday, not disrupted too badly by Jay Spearing leaving the pitch with a hamstring injury but he was quick to race on to an Adam Johnson through-ball ten minutes into and it was not until the final minute of the first half, when James Milner turned the second half, only to be denied by the alertness of Martin Skrtel.