Having returned to the Anfield hotseat in January 2011, Kenny Dalglish had guided the Reds to a first cup final in six years by the February of his first full season in charge.

Stoke, Chelsea and Manchester City were among the clubs dispatched en route to a League Cup final date with Cardiff City. The Reds were favourites to beat the Championship side at Wembley but, as ever, they'd do it the hard way.

Joe Mason put Malky Mackay's Bluebirds into the lead after just 19 minutes and it took until the hour mark for Martin Skrtel to equalise. With neither side able to grab a winner the game went into extra-time – familiar territory for the Reds.

Dalglish tinkered with his attack, withdrawing Andy Carroll and replacing him with Dirk Kuyt, and five minutes later the Dutchman had the ball in the net to make it 2-1. But, with Liverpool just two minutes away from victory, Ben Turner scrambled in a late equaliser.

It would go to penalties.

Some of Liverpool's greatest moments had come via the drama of a shootout but when Steven Gerrard and Charlie Adam failed to convert the first two, this didn't look like being one of them.

But then the impressive Kuyt netted his, Stewart Downing converted and Glen Johnson scored to pile the pressure on Cardiff's final penalty taker, Anthony Gerrard – cousin of Steven. The centre-back shot wide and the Reds won in typically nail-biting fashion.

The victory also meant Dalglish had achieved success both as a player and manager in all the domestic competitions with Liverpool - League Championship, League Cup and FA Cup.