Carroll’s late heroics make up the difference in the scoreline. The oft-criticised striker deserves all the credit for shaking off his earlier misses and delivering when the game was on the line (for the second time this week).
The Reds’ first half performance left much to be desired, but the Reds raised their game in the second half. They were rewarded with the error that lead to Suarez’s goal. Their continued positive play led to Carroll’s winner.
LFC has triumphed over its neighbor Everton for the third time this season, and it will come as a stinging blow to Moyes and his group.
That’s all for now and thanks for joining us. Let’s discuss this one on Twitter @NESNsoccer and Facebook. Be sure to keep an eye out for some news, fan reactions, analysis and opinion that is on the way on NESN.com.
93rd minute, 2-1 Liverpool: It’s party time in one half of Wembley Stadium, while fans slowly filter out of the other.
LFC has pinned Everton back in its own end, looking to seal the result and a place in the FA Cup final.
89th minute, 2-1 Liverpool: Suarez found Maxi’s run at the far post, but Howard made a stunning save to keep Everton in the game.
89th minute, 2-1 Liverpool: Coleman’s foul on Gerrard gave the Reds a free kick in that dangerous position just left of the penalty area.
Bellamy hit it with pace, and Carroll only needed to redirect it for it to beat Howard.
86th minute, 2-1 Liverpool: Bellamy’s free-kick finds the leaping Carroll, who scores what looks to be the late winner.
84th minute, 1-1: Bellamy is coming on for Downing.
The LFC winger isn’t happy about coming off.
He has been the source of so much of LFC’s good play in the second half, and his speed was causing Baines all kinds of problems on the right side of LFC’s attack.
82nd minute, 1-1: Fellani’s header falls to Jelavic who shoots wide.
LFC has to be wary of those knock-downs that fall to Everton players in dangerous areas.
The Toffees aren’t creating much with fluid play, but the direct approach is causing LFC some problems.
78th minute, 1-1: Carroll twists himself free of Distin and shoots, but his effort goes wide of the goal.
77th minute, 1-1: Osman ghosts past Carragher and tests Jones from distance.
The LFC goalkeeper made the save, but Everton has been dangerous on that left side.
75th minute, 1-1: Maxi replaces Henderson.
The veteran attacker scored twice on Tuesday, and the Reds are hoping he can bring the same golden touch to this contest.
72nd minute, 1-1: Henderson is shown a yellow card, and his arguing with the referee could get him in trouble.
68th minute, 1-1: Everton is making the first change of the game. Coleman comes on for Gueye.
66th minute, 1-1: LFC has dramatically improved in the second half, and the error leading to the goal was the stroke of luck it needed to carry that improvement onto the scoreboard.
63rd minute, 1-1: Distin’s attempted back pass is intercepted by Suarez, and the Uruguayan star buries the chance.
58th minute, 1-0 Everton: Skrtel and Jelavic are shown yellow cards after the two adversaries went face to face.
Skrtel tackled the goal scorer from behind, and Jelavic went down in a heap.
The LFC defender was trying to get up from the tangle, and he stepped on Jelavic.
56th minute, 1-0 Everton: Osman’s shot is saved comfortably by Jones.
The Reds are committed to going forward, leaving space in the defense. Trailing by a goal leaves no margin for error at this point.
52nd minute, 1-0 Everton: LFC’s buildup play has been sharper than it was in the first half, but Everton has been able to sit deep and absorb the pressure.
47th minute, 1-0 Everton: The Reds have been much more positive in the early moments of the second half, and it results in their first geniune scoring chance of the game.
Downing’s cross found Carroll at the far post, but the big LFC striker put his header wide of Howard’s goal.
46th minute, 1-0 Everton: Neither team made any substitutions at halftime.
Halftime, 1-0 Everton: The first half comes to a close, and Everton has the one-goal advantage.
The Reds didn’t play their best soccer at any point in the first 45 minute.
Everton players have been first to those 50-50 balls, which is usually a good barometer of focus and determination.
We’ll see what changes Dalglish makes at the break. He may not substitute any players at halftime — he rarely does that — but he will demand better application and commitment.
45th minute, 1-0 Everton: Suarez tackles his former Ajax teammate Heitinga, and it was no soccer tackle. It was a NFL-style form tackle.
The referee awarded Everton the free kick for the moment of hillarity.
37th minute, 1-0 Everton: Gerrard slices his shot high and wide. It was the captain’s first real involvement in the final third.
LFC’s response to the goal has not been as emphatic as Dalglish would have hoped. Everton’s passing has improved since Jelavic’s strike, and Moyes’ men are showing more spirit and determination than the Reds at the moment.
29th minute, 1-0 Everton: The blue half of Wembley (and Liverpool) is bouncing right now.
Everton has maintained the advantage in territory and possession. Even though the goal was the result of a defensive miscue, Moyes will consider it just rewards for the approach his players have taken to the first half hour of the game.
24th minute, 1-0 Everton: It’s a horrible mistake that gifts Jelavic a goal.
Agger and Carragher were indecisive with an innocent-looking clearance at the back, and when the LFC vice captain tried to clear the ball it bounced off of Cahill straight into the path of Jelavic.
The January signing finished the chance with ease, giving Everton the early lead.
20th minute, 0-0: The game is off to a fast start, but that hasn’t reflected in the shots or scoring opportunities column.
Everton has controlled much of the play in the opening minutes, but LFC has remained steadfast in defense.
13th minute, 0-0: Suarez wins a free kick just outside the Everton area. He tried to turn Distin, and the veteran defender brought him down.
Nothing resulted from the free kick, but the match-up is one to watch. If Suarez can pull Distin out of position, it can create spaces in the final third that other LFC players can exploit.
Ninth minute, 0-0: Everton has been the main protagonist in the opening 10 minutes. The Toffees have moved the ball with greater purpose than their opponents, who have yet to settle into the contest.
Fifth minute, 0-0: Agger brings down Jelavic just outside the LFC penalty area. It’s a dangerous position for a free kick, but Baines puts his shot well over the bar.
Third minute, 0-0: “Wee” Jay Spearing gets forward and fires a shot over the bar.
Carroll carried play into the Everton box and laid it off to the LFC holding midfielder, but he could not direct his shot on target.
Pregame: The FA Cup semifinal is upon us, and Wembley is buzzing.
LFC is going with an unconventional approach, fielding three center backs in the starting 11. That does not necessarily mean the Reds will play with three at the back, as Agger has played some left back in recent games.
Gerrard, Suarez and Downing are restored to the starting lineup after being rested on Tuesday.
7 a.m.: Here are the lineups:
Liverpool FC
Brad Jones (1), goalkeeper
Glen Johnson (2), right back
Jamie Carragher (23), center back
Martin Skrtel (37), center back
Daniel Agger (5), left back
Jay Spearing (20), midfielder
Steve Gerrard (8), midfielder
Stewart Downing (19), midfielder
Jordan Henderson (14), midfielder
Luis Suarez (7), forward
Andy Carroll (9), striker
Substitutes
Peter Gulacsi (42), goalkeeper
Jose Enrique (3), defender
Martin Kelly (34), defender
Jonjo Shelvey (33), midfielder
Dirk Kuyt (18), forward
Maxi (11), forward
Craig Bellamy (39), forward
Everton FC
Tim Howard (24), goalkeeper
Phil Neville (18), right back
Johnny Heitinga (5), center back
Silvain Distin (15), center back
Leighton Baines (3), left back
Marouane Fellaini (25), midfielder
Leon Osman (21), midfielder
Darron Gibson (4), midfielder
Magaye Gueye (19), midfielder
Tim Cahill (17), forward
Nikica Jelavic (7), striker
Substitutes
Marcus Hahnemann (12), goalkeeper
Tony Hibbert (2), defender
Phil Jagielka (6), defender
Seamus Coleman (23), midfielder
Denis Stracqualursi (11), striker
Victor Anichebe (28), striker
James McFadden (14), striker
12:00 a.m. ET: It’s the biggest game of the year. Liverpool FC and Everton FC square off in a FA Cup semifinal at Wembley Stadium. Scousers of both stripes will descend on London to witness a game for the ages.
The eighth-placed Reds trail the seventh-placed Blues by one point in the Premier League standings, but that usually means little when these two teams meet.The all Merseyside affair will see both clubs playing with their seasons in the balance.
The Reds enter Saturday’s game on the back of a thrilling victory over Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League. LFC rested a number of starters in Tuesday’s contest with one eye pointed toward Saturday’s game. Steve Gerrard and Luis Suarez should return to the starting 11 for the crunch contest. Brad Jones will start in goal for LFC, putting him squarely into the limelight.
Everton has won four of its last five games in all competitions. It will field its strongest possible team at Wembley, although Jack Rodwell will miss out because of a chronic hamstring problem. Nikica Jelavic has been scoring with east since joining the Toffees in January.
Join us right here at 7:30 a.m. for all the action. We’ll bring you Liverpool – Everton as it happens.
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