40 great semi-final stats

This is Liverpool's 14th semi-final, equalling the record held by Arsenal.

It is their first since 2004-05 when they beat Watford 1-0 home and away with Steven Gerrard scoring the only goal of each meeting. The Reds skipper has now scored in three successive legs of a League Cup semi-final - each time Liverpool winning 1-0.

Steven Gerrard's appearance in the first leg in Manchester was his first start in the League Cup since he scored against Cardiff in October 2007.

Liverpool have won this trophy on a record seven occasions, the last being in 2003 when they defeated Manchester United 2-0 in Cardiff.  They are looking to extend their record by appearing in an 11th final.

The Reds have won their last three semi-finals - Crystal Palace (2001), Sheffield United (2003) and Watford two years later.

Liverpool have won nine of the last 11 League Cup semi-finals they have contested. The last team to beat them at this stage was Middlesbrough in 1998.

The last top-flight team to beat Liverpool at this stage was Queens Park Rangers in 1986.

The Reds have an excellent record at Anfield in the semi-final of this competition having not lost any of the 13 games played - winning eight of them.

On all four previous occasions Liverpool have scored a goal in an away first leg game in this competition they have gone on to lift the Cup - 1981, 1982, 2001, 2003.

The Reds have scored in all 13 of their previous home legs at the semi-final stage of the League Cup.

Of Liverpool's last nine games in the League Cup this is only their second at home. Their visit to the Etihad was their fifth away game in succession in the competition - their most ever in the League Cup.

Liverpool have played in five penalty shoot-outs in the League Cup, losing twice - to Wimbledon in 1993 and Northampton at Anfield in 2010.

In major competitive games the Reds have lost two of 12 shoot-outs.

The Reds have never lost a two-legged tie in any competition after winning the first leg away from home. They have returned to Anfield with a lead 38 times including six occasions in the League Cup.

Liverpool have scored in 42 of the last 43 League Cup games - only failing to hit the net during that time at Chelsea in December 2007.

The Reds have used 24 players in this season's five League Cup games with Pepe Reina and Jay Spearing the only men to start them all.

Liverpool are aiming to become the 11th current Premier League team to play at the 'new' Wembley.

Kenny Dalglish could, if Liverpool win this trophy, become only the third manager after Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho to win all three major domestic English trophies - Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup.

Liverpool's last two-legged semi-final in any competition saw them go out of the Europa League on away goals to Atletico Madrid in 2010 - though they did win the second leg at home.

That is the only time they have been eliminated in the last six semi-finals that have been decided at Anfield.

Craig Bellamy has scored five goals in his last five starts for the Reds.

The Reds have not lost two games in a row since September.

City have won both of their games since the first leg (at Wigan and home to Tottenham) while Liverpool have drawn at home to Stoke and lost at Bolton.

This will be City's seventh semi-final - they have won two and on two occasions have gone on to lift the trophy.

In 1970 they beat Manchester United 4-3 on aggregate and went on to beat West Brom in the final.

They defeated Plymouth 3-1 over 2 legs in 1974 but lost the final to Wolves 2-1.

Two years later they beat Middlesbrough 4-1 on aggregate and overcame Newcastle 2-1 in the Wembley final.

City lost in the last four to Stoke in 1963-64, Liverpool in 1981 and two years ago lost 4-3 on aggregate to Manchester United after winning the first leg at home 2-1. Carlos Tevez scored all three of City's goals.

Roberto Mancini has faced Liverpool over two legs once before as a manager.

His Inter Milan side lost 3-0 on aggregate to the Reds in the last 16 of the Champions League in 2008.

Only Stefan Savic has started all of City's League Cup games this season.

City have taken part in two League Cup penalty shoot-outs. They lost to Blackpool in 1997-98 and beat Brighton in 2008-09.

City have won only two of the last 42 visits to Anfield in all competitions.

Only two of the 25 teams to have won away in the first leg of a League Cup semi-final previously have failed to reach the final - West Ham were knocked out by Stoke in 1971-72 and Tottenham went out to Arsenal in 1986-87.

James Milner and Stewart Downing were teammates in the Aston Villa side that lost in the final to Manchester United 2 years ago - Milner scoring an early penalty.

City have won two of their last six away games in all competitions and in that time have scored four goals.

If City wish to reach the final without the aid of a penalty shoot-out they will need to score at least twice in an away game for the first time since November 5 when they won 3-2 at QPR. 

Referee Phil Dowd took charge of Liverpool's quarter-final win at Chelsea in November. He has taken charge of three clashes between the Reds and City - Liverpool have yet to win though they did draw both previous Anfield fixtures.

Liverpool's record in the League Cup: Pld  210 Won 126  Drawn  42  Lost  42

Scorers this season (League Cup in brackets):

Liverpool: Suarez 8 (3), Bellamy 7 (1), Carroll 4 (1), Gerrard 4 (1), Maxi 4 (2), Adam 2 (0), Skrtel 2 (0), Downing 1 (0), Henderson 1 (0), Johnson 1 (0), Kelly 1 (1), Kuyt 1 (1), Shelvey 1 (0), own goals 3 (0).

Man City: Aguero 17 (1), Dzeko 14 (2), Balotelli 12 (1), A. Johnson 6 (1), Silva 6 (0), Nasri 4 (1), Y. Toure 6 (0), Kolarov 3 (0), Kompany 2 (0), Milner 3 (0), Lescott 2 (0), Barry 1 (0), Hargreaves 1 (1), Richards 1 (0), Savic 1 (0), own goals 2 (0).