Liverpool vs. Manchester City: Preview for Carling Cup Semi-Finals

Liverpool got the better of Manchester City in the first leg of their matchup in the Carling Cup Semi-Finals, and the Reds will now try to make it two for two at Anfield this coming Wednesday.

Beating City twice in a row will be easier said than done, however, and it's certainly worth noting that the Reds haven't been at their sharpest at Anfield this season. 

Regardless of what ends up happening, there are two things you need to know right now: how to watch this match and exactly what we're going to be dealing with once it's underway.

Well, let's take a look.

Where: Anfield, Liverpool

When: Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 2:45 p.m. ET

Watch: FOX Soccer, streaming online at FoxSoccer.tv starting at 5:00 p.m. ET

Liverpool Player to Watch

I would keep an eye on Steven Gerrard. He's started each of the Reds' last three contests, and it was Gerrard who scored on an early penalty to ultimately give Liverpool its 1-0 victory over City in the first leg of the semi-finals. Gerrard is older and not as spry as he once was, but he's a player City isn't going to want to lose sight of.

Manchester City Player to Watch

You can take your pick as far as City goes, but it's always a good idea to keep your eyes on Sergio Aguero. He's City's top goal scorer, and the squad will be looking for him to put them in a position to win this match. Or, at the very least, to even the score.

Key Matchup

City packs a lot of scoring punch, but Liverpool doesn't make it easy for their opponents to score. It's hard enough to score one goal against Liverpool, but City will go into this match knowing they can't get shut out again. They will be aggressive with their attack, and it will be up to Liverpool's defense to clamp down and play even better than they're already capable of playing.

What They're Saying

Another Liverpool player to watch in this match will be midfielder Steward Downing. His stint with the Reds has gotten off to a slow start, but Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish made it clear to The Guardian that he has faith in Downing:

"

Stewart is a better player than I thought he was going to be. I don't think it has been too comfortable for him either because we have played him in three or four positions, so maybe we need to look at ourselves and say we have to be fair to him as well. He is better than what I thought he was. He is quicker than what I thought he was and he is quicker than Carra [Jamie Carragher] thought he was as well

"

The big question concerning Manchester City these days is whether or not the club is starting to feel a little extra pressure. They've hit something of a lull, and midfielder Gareth Barry admitted that the club is aware of the circumstances at play.

"You’re just going into games knowing there’s so much at stake," said Barry, according to the Daily Mail. This game coming up is a huge one in the title race."

He added: "There’s big pressure on us now, and it’s a vital part of the season. This period now after a little sticky patch is important."

Prediction: 0-0 Draw

City wasn't able to crack Liverpool's defense in the first leg of this series, and I think Liverpool will keep the ball out of the back of the net again. They don't suffer goals lightly, and it helps that City is going through a rough patch at the moment.