SEMI-FINAL, SECOND LEG: LIVERPOOL (1) SHEFFIELD UNITED (2)
Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock can expect a stormy reception as he takes his in-form First Division side to face Liverpool in the Worthington Cup semi-final, second leg. A late brace from Michael Tonge was enough to give the Blades a narrow 2-1 win at Bramall Lane 12 days ago but the Liverpool management team were visibly rattled at what they thought were over-aggressive tactics employed by Warnock's men, even though the Reds picked up four bookings in the game and United only three.
Gerard Houllier was especially incensed with a challenge from Michael Brown on Chris Kirkland, a clash that left the goalkeeper in need of lengthy treatment and after the match Liverpool assistant Phil Thompson was reported to have said to Warnock 'wait until we get you back to our place'.
Warnock defended his players saying: "I do think some people forget that our disciplinary record this season has been almost flawless and that we have, I think, been second in the Fair Play League. Only last week we received a letter from the FA disciplinary committee complimenting us on our improvement this season. I felt that they (Liverpool) could have taken what happened to them in better spirit."
Warnock, whose side have already dumped both Leeds and Sunderland out of this competition, and are up to third in the First Division following a 15-game unbeaten run, is expecting nothing less that a volatile reception at Anfield.
"I'm sure we'll be in for a hot reception, but it's all experience for my youngsters," he said. "I've read that Liverpool have spent £100 million on their squad. We've spent £600,000 and gone up to third in the First Division. Our total wage bill for the year is £2.9 million. I bet one of their players will earn that this season.
"If they play to their full potential then they will beat us, and if we don't play to ours then we will get battered, so we know what to expect. But we will go there an enjoy it and give it our best shot."
There is certainly no doubt that Warnock had done a tremendous job at Bramall Lane, United's battle-hardened boss has transformed the team he supported as a boy from First Division strugglers into credible promotion challengers. The side has a wonderful balance of youth and experience.
There were eyebrows raised by Blades' supporters when Warnock brought Wayne Allison and Stuart McCall to the club at the start of the season, both were closer to 40 than 30 when they arrived but they have proved inspirational additions in amongst rising stars like Michael Tonge and Michael Brown who has offered Liverpool an olive branch ahead of the potentially red-hot return at Anfield.. About his controversial challenge on the Liverpool keeper, the aggressive United midfielder said: "I didn't try to crock Chris Kirkland. It's nonsense to say I did it on purpose. It was a cup semi final, I was six yards out and had I got there first I would have scored a goal.
"You find much stronger challenges happening every game in the middle of the pitch, it's just because it was on the keeper that so much has been made of it. I have never, and would never, deliberately try to hurt a fellow player. It was just one of those things and certainly didn't warrant the reaction afterwards. My only real reaction is that it took the shine off what was an unbelievable night for Sheffield United."
Gerard Houllier, meanwhile, will be happier that his team come into this game on the back of a much-needed Premiership victory. Speaking after the 1-0 win at Southampton on Saturday Houllier said: "Don't ask me if I'm relieved - yes, I am."
Two months ago Liverpool were firmly in the championship picture before a disastrous run of 11 games without a win saw them slip out of contention. Indeed Houllier's men picked up just five points from a possible 33 in the club's worst run of form for almost 50 years.
The result at St Mary's will have given the Reds a timely confidence boost and the decision to play Riise on the left side of midfield and Diouf on the right seemed to give the side a much more balanced look to it and Houllier could well stick with the same starting line-up.
Tomorrow's clash at Anfield gives Emile Heskey an immediate opportunity to build on his confidence-boosting performance against the Saints, and the winning goal which took his tally for the season to just four, adding to the winner at Bolton in September and two in the 5-0 Champions League thrashing of Spartak Moscow in October.
Heskey looked more like his old self after a disappointing spell and he reckons the recent appointment of Ian Rush as a striker coach at Anfield is already beginning to benefit him.
He said: "Hopefully the appointment of Ian Rush will help. He is well respected by everybody here and when I was younger, he was one of my heroes.
"I've never worked with a striker coach before but Rushie has done it all during his career so he knows what he is talking about."
