Manchester City went out of the Carling Cup after a dramatic semi-final second leg at Anfield.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, City went ahead on the night when Nigel de Jong's shot found the top corner.
Liverpool were level when, after Micah Richards had been controversially penalised for handball, Steven Gerrard scored from the spot.
After the break Joe Hart kept City in the game with a string of stunning saves before Edin Dzeko put the Blues ahead.
But former City striker Craig Bellamy had the final say with a goal 16 minutes from time.
History
City's hopes of another trip to Wembley foundered on the rock of Anfield, where the Blues have been wrecked many times down the years.
And in a twist of fate, they were dashed this time by a dubious penalty decision, and the almost inevitable killer goal from old boy Bellamy.
Fans of a certain vintage heading down the East Lancs Road always have a shudder of dread as they head for the famous old ground.
Going into the game, the Blues had only won twice in their last 42 visits to Anfield.
And the home side has specialised, for the last two years, in spiking the big guns and making a mess of things against the poorer teams.
They did it again here, and deserved the place in the final – indeed, had it not been for the brilliant Joe Hart, Liverpool would have been out of sight.
Mancini again surprised everyone with his team selection, leaving Sergio Aguero on the bench and going with three at the back, using Pablo Zabaleta and Aleks Kolarov as wing backs.
It looked like a gamble that would backfire as Liverpool began the second leg in the same way they started at the Etihad Stadium a fortnight earlier.
Then, only Hart stood firmly between the lively Liverpool attackers and Carling Cup oblivion for the Blues.
It was the same again as the Scousers found holes in and around the back three of Micah Richards, Stefan Savic and Joleon Lescott.
Youngster Savic was particularly targeted after his wobbles against Spurs. He is a 20-year-old with plenty of promise, but he has had a tough schooling in the last couple of weeks as understudy to the peerless Vincent Kompany.
Having said that, it was senior partner Lescott who made the first slip, slicing a cross straight to Jose Enrique, with the goal seemingly at his mercy. Hart felt otherwise, and reflexively stuck out a foot to turn the ball away.
Moments later Glen Johnson carved in from the right-hand side and let fly, Hart having to fling himself low to his left to smother.
Action
The action was all one way as sole striker Edin Dzeko cut a lonely figure at the other end, and Charlie Adam’s shot forced Hart to hurl himself to his left, crucially holding the ball as Craig Bellamy marauded for any rebounds.
City’s attacking efforts had been laboured and had broken on Liverpool’s massed defence, but, not for the first time in recent weeks, they were on the wrong end of a dubious refereeing decision in an important incident.
Dzeko ran to meet David Silva’s driven corner and had his foot hacked from under him by Adam. No penalty.
At the other end, Savic’s misery was compounded as Bellamy ghosted past him and fired in a shot which Hart had to beat away.
It was hard to see where a City goal was coming from – and when it did come, it was from the least likely source!
This was Nigel de Jong’s 118th game for City, and he tends to get nose-bleeds if he goes too far beyond the centre circle.
But when Silva worked a little magic, dancing and drawing in defenders, the Dutchman spotted the possibility and raced to his support.
Silva laid it back and de Jong curved a stunning shot. It’s starting trajectory was around Row G in the Kop, but it swerved viciously and whipped inside the startled Pepe Reina’s post on 31 minutes.
City had their tails up, but there is always the feeling that a ropey refereeing decision or two is just around the corner.
And so it was, on 40 minutes as the Blues, stretched once again, defended their own area desperately.
Micah Richards flung himself in front of Daniel Agger’s shot, which bounced up off his foot and struck him on the arm.
The parallel with a very similar incident in the league game with Liverpool at the Etihad three weeks ago, when Martin Skrtel handled as the ball bounced up off his leg, was obvious.
The difference here was that referee Phil Dowd pointed to the spot.
Steven Gerrard, whose spot kick handed Liverpool their first leg lead, did the rest.
Mancini had to change it, and at half time he hauled off the struggling Savic and brought on Aguero, sporting a dazzling new pair of electric blue boots.
But it was still the home side providing all the voltage, as they found aces of space down the sides of the new back three of Richards, Lescott and de Jong.
Dirk Kuyt’s awakward, bouncing shot reared up at Hart, who was glad just to get his body in the way and let Lescott complete the clearance.
But the England keeper was back at his best a few minutes later as he beat away Gerrard’s arcing free kick and then recovered brilliantly to fingertip over Skrtel’s prodded shot from the rebound.
Next it was Downing’s turn to be frustrated by the green goliath. Kuyt raced down the right and crossed, and the ex-Middlesbrough man met it on the half-volley, only to find Hart’s outstretched leg again in the way.
All of those Hart heroics deserved some reward, and they got it as the Blues finally found a way through at the other end.
Kolarov was the extra man on the left, and he whipped in a cross which fizzed through to Dzeko, to tap in the goal which again drew the Blues level.
Now it looked like the Blues were favourites, but again the City defence was caught on the hop as Kuyt squeezed a ball in to Bellamy in the area.
The Welshman played a sharp one-two with Glen Johnson and then picked his spot. Even Hart couldn’t reach that one.
What is your verdict on the game? Have your say.
Liverpool 2 Manchester City 2 (Liverpool win 3-2 on agg) - Stuart Brennan's verdict
January 25, 2012
Comments
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Outplayed on the night but another bad refereeing decision cost us in the end
If Decisions Equal themselves out over a Season then we should win the League at a Canter.....Dear Oh Dear Oh Dowd !.
That bellamy guy looks a good player... We should buy him!
Just the 2 trophies this seson then.
Once again a Referee makes all the difference. City are denied a very clear penalty and Liverpool are awarded a dubious one. Where, oh where, is the consistency. I will say no more.
Another dodgy penalty from an incompetant ref. 3 Referees commentating said it was 'No' Penalty.
Don't need Rags on here, but no doubt you obsession will get the better of you.
Is there an agenda against city ? Well I for one think there is. What a joke cheated out of two cup competitions.
Hazel Grove Blue since 1960 (25/01/2012 at 15:00)
Key battle: Phil Dowd v City. God I hate this clown, so full of himself with his dismissive shake of the head and exaggerated arm movements. He thinks everyone has come just to watch him. Watch out for the game being decided by one of his decisions.
Told you so!!!!
We are right out of luck with refs at the moment. Kolarov booked tonight for winning the ball and being caught by Henderson's follow through.
A terrible team selection from Bobbie tonight. When is he going to learn, if we play Kolarov - WE GET BEAT! He is useless & Liverpool knew this and played everything though him. Just watch him at the 2nd goal - all over the place. I know Savic had a nightmare but he is only 21 and in fairness should not have been put in that position by Bobbie tonight. His confidence was already low and he looked totally out of his depth. Dzeko won nothing in the air and looks uninterested. Joe brilliant & Silva tried everything to make something happen but had nowhere to play the ball in forward positions. Sorry Bobbie I love you but tactical error tonight.
Have followed city all my life and all they ever do is disappoint you. Lost to United at home, blame the sending off, lose to Liverpool at home now we cant beat the same Liverpool team that lost to one of the worst teams in th league in Bolton, same old story despite all that money spent unreliable city.
I suppose I will be slagged off by the happy clappers, but recently we have been crap. How can Mancini spend fortunes on midfielders and forwards and even full backs and have no cover at centre half, knowing full well Kolo Toure would be gone, not that hes any good. So why did Mancini not buy one or two covers before the season started?
Isn't it amazing how Bellamy is playing? With a little bit of good man management and mutual understanding, he could have scored that for us.
Bring on the rags....
1st leg cost us but not good enough tonight despite two great goals.
Liverpool were the better team on the night as too many of our players went missing. Despite that I wonder what would have happened had the ref not given Liverpool the life line! Not saying we deserved to win because we didn't but with a better refereeing decision we could have battled through. Savic needs a loan spell as far away from Manchester as possible and quick! Apart from one cross Kolarov was pants. Welcome back Vincent Kompany
some big lessons here :- sloppy passing & control by Dzeko, Nasri / Silva brushed aside by swift tackling and hard running. Savic not uo to it. But above all a lesson from Bellamy and we gave him away!. another lesson for RM - at this level you have to work with what you have not dispose of it. Adebayor is having a blinder with Spurs.
can anyone seriously belive that if Bellamy, Adebayor and Tevez were in our team tonight - we would have lost?
wake up call - especially to RM
only consolation we were done by a poor penalty decision and saved by good goalkeeping.
Shocking team selection
Kompany. Balotelli. Now Richards. Three doubtful or dubious refereeing decisions against us. I sincerely hope that there is truth in that old adage, when there's one, there's three. Maybe we can get that out of our system and now go a game without controversy?
Looked like Mancini picked a team where he's more interested in the Premiership than the League Cup. Disappointed but not heartbroken.
Incidentally Graham Taylor's biased attitude on Radio 5 Live demonstrated why he was such a useless England manager. One eyed. (I suppose I should grateful for goodness knows what rubbish Steve Claridge would have come out with.
Lescotte- not good enough.liverpool winner came from a position he put us in for no reason!.not good enough for where city want to go.
Savic- feel sorry for the lad but not good enough.
Dzeko- too clumsy gives the ball away.
De jong.great tackle but also gives the ball away.
why do these calls always go against us. same thing happened against wigan and tottenham the past 2 matches and we didnt get the penalty, but when a city player does it gets called. unbelievable. the FA should be ashamed for giving these idiots absolute power without any recourse
Flat again for the second time against Liverpool in 2 weeksl. I thought they were like us last year in the semi v United - they simply wanted it more than we did and it seemed to mean more to them. Hart kept us in it for long periods tonight and we simply didn't create enough although one or two nice passages but for the most part backwards and sideways passing without going anywhere. Had to be Bellamy who scored the winner and gave our defence a torrid time all night.
Felt sorry for Savic - looked like a little boy lost in the first half. Mancini should have taken him out of the firing line after his display v Spurs. Lescott not much better tonight and his sliced hoof out of play gave them the throw from which Bellamy scored.
Positives - for all their dominance Liverpool scored one goal from open play in 180 minutes against us. Secondly, I was impressed with the way we were still trying to play football right to the final moments and they way we refused to resort to the long ball. Two good goals.
Negatives - at 2-2 we looked happy with the draw instead of going for a third. Never a penalty in a million years - thanks Dowd.
Let's be honest if we'd have gone into extra time Dowd would be scored the winner. There is no way the FA will let us win the league.
Can't believe the team selection--------AGAIN!
On another point is David Bernstein still a regular attender?
Poor performance,but what a joke of a penalty decision.week in week out shocking refereeing decisions.
Wrong team wrong game plan wrong result - 2cups down
Not on here to gloat. Never a spot kick in a million years. Like micha said as the ball shot up from his foot at 100mph,Wtf am i supposed to do. Phil Dowds expression said it all. Not 1 city player appealed for a nailed on penalty in the 15th minute, not even Edin. Lets hope we can repay them on saturday. Manchester football capital of Britain. utid
I can't remember a time when you were guaranteed a crucial refereeing decision that was wrong every time!! every $£%£$ing game!!