Carling Cup final

  • Venue: Wembley Stadium
  • Date: Sunday, 26 February

Coverage: Watch live on BBC One from 1500 GMT; listen on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Merseyside; live text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

Craig Bellamy

Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy is fit to play against his hometown club.

Goalkeeper Tom Heaton has overcome an ankle problem and is set to continue his run of games in the cup ahead of regular first-choice David Marshall.

Captain Mark Hudson will have a fitness test on a calf problem, while Stephen McPhail is also a doubt with an immune system disorder.

Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy is available after an injection to ease a back problem.

Daniel Agger is also set to return, having been rested in the FA Cup.

You have to go back to the 1996 FA Cup final - infamous white suits and all - for Liverpool's last visit to Wembley. The current side know that Sunday represents an opportunity to leave a lasting impression for more positive reasons. Everyone at the club would certainly welcome that, given the controversy that has enveloped them for months as a result of Luis Suarez's indiscretions.

The Suarez fall-out may arguably have damaged the Reds' reputation in the short term but it has also enabled Kenny Dalglish to build a siege mentality within his squad. That may work in Liverpool's favour as they look to win their first silverware since the FA Cup in 2006.

"(This final is) fantastic reward for the supporters that have stood by us… and fantastic reward for the new owners "

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish

Dalglish has taken the League Cup seriously all season, fielding strong teams in every round, and his side have beaten three Premier League teams to get this far. Dalglish himself was part of the Liverpool team that won the first four of their record seven League Cup victories in successive years between 1981 and 1984.

The new Wembley Stadium is nothing new to Cardiff City and the club's supporters - this is their fourth visit in five seasons. Only Kevin McNaughton, Stephen McPhail and Peter Whittingham remain from the side that were beaten by Portsmouth in the 2008 FA Cup final and who also overcame Barnsley in a Wembley semi-final - their only victory to date under at England's new national stadium.

Cardiff manager Malky Mackay may not have experienced a major cup final before but he did achieve a hat-trick of promotions through the play-offs as a player so knows what it takes to win a one-off big game. He was rewarded in midweek for a fine first season at the club with a new contract that runs until 2016.

The one guarantee from the 2012 League Cup is that a Gerrard will get his hands on the trophy, but which one will climb the 107 steps to Wembley's Royal Box as a winner: Reds captain Steve, or cousin Anthony, the Cardiff defender?

  • The two clubs have only met once before in the League Cup: Liverpool ran out 2-1 winners in a fourth-round tie at Anfield in October 2007.
  • Cardiff have won twice as many games as Liverpool in this fixture (18 wins to nine), with two matches drawn.
  • Their 29 previous encounters have yielded 95 goals - an average of 3.2 goals per game. There has never been a goalless draw between the two clubs.
  • Cardiff, appearing in their first League Cup final, have become the 16th club from outside the top flight to reach the final, and the first since Birmingham in 2001, who incidentally were beaten by Liverpool.
  • City's Carling Cup adventure has so far lasted 750 minutes, with four of their seven matches going to extra-time. Two of their victories came courtesy of penalty shoot-outs.
  • The Bluebirds have beaten one Premier League side, three from the Championship, one from League One and one from League Two to reach the final.
  • Malky Mackay's men are yet to win outside Wales in 2012 - a run of six matches in all competitions.
  • Liverpool are the most successful club in League Cup history, having won it seven times (latterly in 2003) and finished runners-up three times.
  • The Reds have triumphed over lower division opposition in the League Cup final on three occasions: West Ham (1981), Bolton (1995) and Birmingham (2001).
  • Kenny Dalglish's men have overcome three Premier League clubs, one Championship side and a League One outfit to reach Wembley this season.
  • Liverpool have found the net in each of their last 11 Carling Cup outings. Their 2-0 quarter-final defeat by Chelsea in 2007 is the only time the Reds have failed to score in 44 League Cup matches.

Miller: 10 goals (1 in League Cup); Whittingham: 10 goals (1 in League Cup)

Suarez: 10 goals (3 in League Cup); Bellamy: 9 goals (3 in League Cup)

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Assistant referees: Simon Beck and Mick McDonough

Fourth official: Anthony Taylor