Liverpool 4 (Fowler 44, Riise 45, Paletta 50, Crouch 77)
Reading 3 (Bikey 75, Lita 81, Long 85)

The Royals' first ever encounter with Liverpool ended in defeat but for a time it looked as though Steve Coppell's understrength side might take the Carling Cup tie into extra time against all the odds.

After a tight opening, three goals in six minutes either side of half time saw the home side stroll into a seemingly unassailable lead, thanks to goals from skipper Robbie Fowler, John Arne Riise and Gabriel Paletta.

Andre Bikey's majestic header gave the visitors late hope, which Peter Crouch seemed to snuff out minutes later with a fourth Reds goal.

But Leroy Lita and Shane Long struck back to set up a sensational end to a thrilling cup clash. Despite last gasp goalmouth scrambles, the valiant comeback came to nothing and Rafa Benitez's side kept their League Cup hopes alive.

Liverpool (4-4-2): Reina; Peltier (Smith 74), Warnock, Agger, Paletta, Sissoko (Guthrie 62), Zenden, Pennant, Riise (Kuyt 79), Crouch, Fowler (c).
Subs: Martin, Carragher.
Yellow cards: Paletta

Reading (4-4-2): Stack, Halls, De La Cruz, Gunnarsson (Sodje 83), Ingimarsson (c), Bikey, Oster, Little, Hunt, Long, Lita.
Subs: Hahnemann, Osano, Hayes, Joseph-Dubois
Yellow cards: Little

Referee: Mr P Walton
Attendance: 42,445




Full report
A packed house at Anfield welcomed the Royals to Liverpool for the first time in Reading's long history on a rainy Wednesday evening.

The game began slowly, with both sides cautiously checking out the opposition and testing the tricky conditions.

After a quarter of an hour, Stephen Hunt's left sided corner provided the first chance. Drilled into Ivar Ingimarsson at the near post, Gabriel Paletta marshalled it out for another corner. The second set piece was aimed to the edge of the box but easily intercepted by Pennant's head.

The visitors were having the lion's share of the early exchanges and Reading's first effort on target came from an unlikely source. Left-back Ulises De La Cruz collected a half-cleared corner and instead of delivering another ball into the box, the Ecuadorian shot low at goal but Jose Reina was well behind the strike and calmly gathered off a greasy surface.

The Reds were struggling to find a final ball to trouble the Royals back line. John Arne Riise's swirling cross for Crouch midway through the half was easily watched behind by our all-Icelandic centre-back pairing.



Steve Coppell had made seven changes from the side that lost to Arsenal on Saturday, but the Royals were looking comfortable with some slick passing switching play to Hunt hugging the left wing. His early ball was directed at Leroy Lita but Reina came out to intercept.

With half an hour played, Graham Stack was called into action at the other end. Bolo Zenden worked the ball inside onto his left foot and struck a 23-yard effort towards the bottom left corner. The ex-Arsenal keeper, making only his second start of the season, palmed the Dutchman's shot wide of his post without too much trouble.

Six minutes before the break, an excellent interchange between Glen Little and John Oster saw the ex-Everton winger squeeze past Dan Agger but as it opened up for a possible shot, Oster sidefooted a low cross into the middle which was hacked behind for a corner. Little's flag kick was headed harmlessly over by Gunnarsson at the near post.




Soon after, Mohamed Sissoko lofted a ball over the top of the Royals backline, but the offside Robbie Fowler sent his hooked volley inches over the bar regardless of the raised linesman's flag.

With half time approaching though, Liverpool took the lead against the run of play. Jermaine Pennant was allowed time to settle on the ball and thread an excellent ball into Fowler's path. Holding off both centre-backs the ex-England man planted a bouncing ball first time to Stack's right and in for 1-0.

And astonishingly, a minute later it was two. After Little had been tugged back by Stephen Warnock, the referee allowed play to continue and Liverpool to break.

Riise fired a fierce 25-yard shot swirling Stack's way and the Royals keeper could only push the ball back to the attack-minded full back. Riise made no mistake given a second chance, fizzing a well-struck effort wide of Stack's left palm and low into the corner to double the home side's advantage.

With less than five minutes of the second half gone, Liverpool added a third. Pennant's inswinging left-sided corner was boldly met by Gabriel Paletta who nodded down to Stack's left to see his header nestle into the corner.




The Reds were now bossing the game. Fowler shot on the turn from the left side of the penalty area but his effort whistled across the face of goal and wide of the woodwork. Ingimarsson's sliding challenge had to dispossess the Liverpool striker again soon after.

At the opposite end, a neat turn from Oster in midfield soon after sought out Hunt who did well to control. The winger snatched at his shot a little though and dragged a left-footed strike wide of the far post.

Just short of the hour, Zenden confidently fired a long range shot at goal which was charged down and deflected over. The resultant corner fell out to Riise, whose low drilled effort ricocheted off a number of outstretched legs and bobbled inches wide of the right upright.

Liverpool were on top and looking for more. Fowler beat Gunnarsson for pace down the left and turning onto his right boot the Reds frontman fired just wide of the far post. De La Cruz was no match for Pennant's pace on the other flank moments later, but a combination of Ingimarsson and John Halls conspired to clear the ex-Arsenal winger's cross.




The pressure was relentless and as Liverpool continued to stretch the play, Peter Crouch headed a tasty left wing cross over with just more than 20 minutes remaining and Stack had to push a Danny Guthrie cross wide of his six yard area shortly after.

In a rare attack on Liverpool's goal though, the Royals pulled one back. Hunt did brilliantly to skip over one challenge down the left wing and then was fouled by Paletta's sliding challenge. The Reds centre-back was booked.

Glen Little took control of the free kick on the left side of the box and floated an enticing ball towards the back post. Andre Bikey rose high to head down past Reina and make the score 3-1.




Only a minute later though the three-goal lead was restored. Crouch turned Gunnarsson who stopped and held his face as the lanky striker ran into open space. With the calmest of heads, the striker rounded the grounded Stack and walked the ball into the back of the net for a fourth.

Without time to take breath, the Royals had a second though. On the break, Shane Long seemed to a have wasted an opportunity to strike at goal, when he was closed down quickly and challenged by Agger.

Hunt shot the loose ball goalwards but it deflected to John Halls in space on the right of the box. With quick feet he teed up Leroy Lita inside him and the Royals frontman made no mistake to stroke past Reina from 14 yards.




And to set up a grandstand finish, Shane Long dramatically reduced the deficit to one with little more than six minutes of normal time remaining. A stunning ball by John Oster found Little racing in from the left and he chipped it up to Long at the far post who headed home from close range.

Lita almost combined with Long moments later but Reina raced from his line to deny the Irishman a second chance as the Royals battled for an unlikely period of extra time.

A brilliant right-footed volley from Dirk Kuyt almost ended the drama with two minutes left on the clock. The Dutch striker's 25-yard attempt clattered onto the crossbar and out to Fowler, but as Stack tipped the follow-up onto the top of his bar again, the linesman raised his flag against Fowler and the comeback was still alive.

Little's wayward ball out to the right in stoppage time was kept in by Hunt. He delivered to the near post and Reina had to concede a corner. From the set piece a frantic goalmouth scramble ensued but somehow Liverpool cleared and a brave Royals challenge was at an end.