Liverpool Echo: Liverpool 2-1 Everton

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

A late header from Andy Carroll secured Liverpool FC's place in the FA Cup final as they recorded a 2-1 win over Merseyside rivals Everton at Wembley.

Carroll rose in the 87th minute to settle a pulsating contest, after Luis Suarez's goal had cancelled out Nikica Jelavic's first-half opener for Everton.

It was reward for a much-improved second-half display from Kenny Dalglish's men, who had been rocked on their heels by Jelavic's strike.

For David Moyes and Everton, there are only thoughts of what might have been. They began the game strongly, and merited their half-time lead, but left deflated after a third derby defeat of the campaign, albeit one played out in front of what will be remembered as a phenomenal occasion for the city of Liverpool.

Dalglish had sprung something of a surprise in his starting 11 by including Daniel Agger at left back, with Jose Enrique left on the bench. Brad Jones, as expected, started in goal in the absence of Pepe Reina and Alexander Doni, with young Hungarian Peter Gulacsi as his understudy.

Everton, meanwhile, fielded the same side which had secured their semi-final place by beating Sunderland in the last eight, with Magaye Gueye given the nod over Seamus Coleman and Victor Anichebe on the left hand side of midfield.

There was a fervent atmosphere inside Wembley, with red and blue united before kick-off as they paid tribute to the late Gary Ablett, and, 23 years on, to the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

Fittingly, it was a Scouser that had the game's first opening, inside three minutes. Glen Johnson released Andy Carroll with a slide-rule pass, and the frontman's cut-back was swept over the bar by Jay Spearing from the edge of the box.

Everton soon responded, Leighton Baines bending a 25-yard free-kick onto the roof of the net after a foul on Nikica Jelavic.

It was open start, with Everton FC maintaining a high defensive line, and Liverpool looking to exploit the space in behind it.

Martin Skrtel drew a save from Tim Howard in the 14th minute after Carroll had cushioned Steven Gerrard's cross down to him.

Everton, who had begun nervously, soon settled. Jelavic almost ran clear onto Leon Osman's pass, but was thwarted by a backtracking Gerrard, before the Croatian sent an ambitious overhead kick into the grateful arms of Jones, after an adventurous run from Phil Neville.

And on 24 minutes, it was David Moyes' side who took the lead.

Neither Agger nor Jamie Carragher took command of a loose ball in the penalty area, with Carragher's eventual clearance ricocheting off Tim Cahill to present Jelavic, who was hovering on the cusp of an offside position, with a chance he finished tidily from 10 yards, for his 6th goal of the campaign.

It had the blue half of Wembley bouncing. Liverpool FC, who have struggled to overturn deficits all season long, were rocked.

It took until the 36th minute for them to muster any kind of response, with Gerrard's 30-yard strike slashed wide. Carroll looped an awkward header onto the top of the net soon after.

Jelavic curled a free-kick wide in the dying embers of the opening period, as Everton ended the half in the ascendency.

Liverpool, grateful of the chance to regroup at the interval, begun the second half brightly, and should have been level within two minutes of the restart.

Downing, moved to the right, went past Baines and delivered a perfect cross for Carroll, who somehow headed wide from inside the six-yard box.

Spearing then missed a glorious chance to roll in Suarez, miscuing his pass horribly, while the Uruguayan wasted an opportunity on the counter, having skinned Neville.

Jelavic, a willing and able outlet, drove well wide on 55 minutes, while Leon Osman drew a simple save from Jones moments later.

Jelavic and Skrtel were booked after a nothing tussle, while only an important challenge from Neville denied Carroll a sight of goal on the hour mark.

They say lightning never strikes twice, but a minute later it did, as Everton's defence folded and Liverpool were level.

Distin, impeccable until then, left an attempted backpass horrendously short, allowing Suarez to race through and slot past Howard with the outside of his right foot.

Suarez, increasingly influential, almost set up Downing soon after, while Howard kept out Johnson's skimming effort as Everton found themselves penned inside their own half.

Both sides made changes, with Coleman replacing Gueye for Everton, and Maxi Rodriguez coming on for a booked Jordan Henderson for Liverpool.

Osman forced a save from Jones with a curling 20-yarder, before at the other end Carroll dragged a shot inches wide after a slip by Blues substitute Coleman.

Nine minutes from time, Jelavic drilled a left-foot effort into the side-netting after being put through by Fellaini's header.

It was Liverpool's turn next, with Carroll and Maxi unable to force the ball home after Johnson's cross had caused chaos in the penalty area.

But the £35m man, impressive in his all-round game, was always likely to have a big say. And when Coleman's needless foul on Gerrard out wide brought a free-kick, the Geordie rose to nod Bellamy's delivery past Howard from six yards to give the Reds a decisive lead.

They would nearly add to it a minute later, but Maxi somehow failed to convert Suarez's low cross, with a scrambling Howard doing well to keep the Argentine out.

Howard then denied Suarez in stoppage time, but it mattered little as Liverpool held on to book a third trip to Wembley of the season. They will face either Chelsea or Tottenham in next month's final.

LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Jones, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger, Henderson (Maxi 75), Spearing, Gerrard, Downing (Bellamy 84), Carroll, Suarez Substitutes: Gulacsi, Kelly, Jose Enrique, Shelvey, Kuyt

Cards: Skrtel, Henderson

Goals: Suarez (62), Carroll (87)

EVERTON (4-4-1-1): Howard, Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines (Anichebe 87), Osman, Fellaini, Gibson, Gueye (Coleman 68), Cahill, Jelavic Substitutes: Hahnemann, Hibbert, Jagielka, McFadden, Stracqualursi

Cards: Distin, Jelavic, Coleman

Goals: Jelavic (24)

Referee: Howard Webb

Source: Liverpool Echo

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.