Carragher desperate to find Wembley Way

JAMIE CARRAGHER has revealed he is desperate to make his first-ever Wembley appearance for Liverpool and ensure a difficult season ends with a silver lining.

Carragher admits the Anfield outfit were relieved to earn a replay after being held to a 1-1 draw at Reading in Saturday's third round tie.

The Coca-Cola Championship strugglers threatened a surprise when Simon Church put them into a 24th-minute lead only for Steven Gerrard to equalise for the visitors 12 minutes later.

With Liverpool already out of the Carling Cup, the Champions League and the race for the Premier League title, manager Rafael Benitez selected an unusually strong line-up for the game.

And while determined to make his club bow at Wembley, Carragher accepts that will only be possible if Liverpool improve on their performance at the weekend.

"The FA Cup has always been massive for me," said the centre-back. "I've been around a long time but I've never played at Wembley for Liverpool, I've played there for England, but I haven't even played in a semi-final there with Liverpool.

"I know I don't have long left so I'm desperate to get to Wembley this year. It's massive for Liverpool and rightly so.

"I've been to Cardiff a few times of course! But I'd love to get to Wembley, I'd love to be able to take my son to watch Liverpool at Wembley.

"I went as a kid to watch games at Wembley, and while Cardiff was great but I'd sooner the fans were going down to Wembley on the coach and going down Wembley way. But if we want to do that, we'll have to improve on how we played against Reading."

Carragher believes either lifting the FA Cup or the Europa League in May can help atone for Liverpool's disappointing first half to the campaign.

"At the start of the season you have four trophies to go for and we are out of two of them," he said. "We have two left to go for and the top four to aim for, so for me there's no priority. But winning a trophy to me is the most important thing.

"It would be a different season if we won the FA Cup. We've had a lot of criticism this season and it was the same in 2005 and we won the Champions League, so everyone forgets about what else happened then.

"If we win the FA Cup or Europa League everyone will remember the 09-10 season as one where Liverpool won a trophy, so I'm determined we leave our mark on the season."

Reading currently languish in 20th place in the Championship table and are without a manager after the sacking of Brendan Rogers last month, with former chief scout Brian McDermott in temporary charge of first-team affairs.

And of Saturday's match, Carragher said: "It was a very tough game. Credit to Reading. We've had some tough games where over the last few years.

"The FA Cup is always a massive game, they aren't doing too well in the league so it was a massive game for them in particular and all the praise should go to them.

"Towards the end I was just made up we didn't lose it. They had a few set-pieces and we are glad to get them back to Anfield.

"They had a lot of corners and free-kicks, and really I thought we did quite well against them because they seemed to have so many during the game.

"We didn't play well, the pitch wasn't great. We were pleased to go in at half-time 1-1 and we thought we might go on to win it, but it wasn't to be. It was Reading's day."

The replay will take place at Anfield on Wednesday, January 13, 8pm kick-off.

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