THERE was something rather ironic about the choice of music that greeted the players as they returned to the Anfield pitch for the second half of last night's Merseyside derby.

An instrumental version of Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' of which the opening words seem to be reminiscent of the predicament Liverpool's title challenge is in danger of falling into. "Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity. To seize everything you ever wanted, one moment. Would you capture it or just let it slip?" It was a poor attempt by the powers that be at Anfield to fire up the fans for the second half after an atmosphere in the first that reflected the performance on the pitch; lacking in confidence, muted and frustrated by an Everton side who were the complete opposite.

Last night's game resembled a similar meeting between the sides five years earlier where Everton's Nigel Martyn, a veteran of the game, gave a stellar performance in goal which ensured it was honours even with a goalless draw. This despite Liverpool winning the meeting at Goodison earlier that season with a 3-0 victory and after a fairly comprehensive win at the home of their local rivals in September last year, history seems to be repeating itself as the Reds' domestic season appears to be on the brink of collapse.

Despite enjoying their best term since 1996/97, cracks are appearing in the side with the tactically stubborn Benitez unsure of his strongest team for specific matches. Several players were badly out of sorts and their replacements were no better. Liverpool's defence was threatened on more than one occasion by the visitors, in particular Victor Anichebe who outpaced veteran centre back Sami Hyypia time and again. Whilst the Finn has been a consistent and loyal servant to the club for over a decade, his performance last night will have lowered him slightly in the estimation of some supporters as he was outpaced time and again by the 20-year-old Nigerian. Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel and Fabio Aurelio also struggled with Bootle-born Carragher especially looking out of his depth - a rarity for such veteran of both Liverpool Football Club and Merseyside derbies respectively. Heroics from Pepe Reina did nothing but delay the inevitable until the 87th minute as Liverpool's defence crumbled.

There were very few positives to come out of the game, save for Steven Gerrard's brilliantly taken goal. The captain's goal was the only shining light in the game for the Reds as their performance mirrored the apathy of the goalless draws with Fulham and West Ham United in late November. The workrate of Dirk Kuyt was astounding if not commendable. The Dutchman seems to thrive on his position as a winger however he would have been best utilised last night in partnership with Fernando Torres. For the £19 million Liverpool paid for him, Robbie Keane is doing very little to return the faith shown in him by Rafael Benitez. He was constantly outwitted by Everton's Phil Jagielka time and again whilst his strike partner was forced to do all the running. No surprise then that the exhausted Torres was substituted in the second half, bizarrely for Yossi Benayoun. The Israeli gave away the foul which led to the free kick that led to Tim Cahill's equaliser after Lucas Leiva had earlier needlessly gifted the visitors another free kick deep in Liverpool's half. The decision to take off Torres sent out a signal to Everton that the home side were happy to consolidate a 1-0 win which gave them a much-needed boost.

The decision to introduce Lucas and Benayoun were dubious to the home supporters and it would seem that the same could be said about Benitez's determination to win the Premier League. Speaking after the match the Spaniard admitted what some of his detractors have been saying since early November. "We can play better," he confessed. "Some players are coming back from injury and they will improve."

The reaction of Everton's supporters after the equaliser and indeed the final whistle may have seemed as if they had what their Anfield counterparts would class as their cup final but they were completely within their rights to do so. Their side gave a good account of themselves in what was a fairly poor game from a neutral perspective. Based on their performance it would be foolish to bet against the visitors causing an upset when the sides meet again in Sunday's FA Cup fourth round tie.

Whilst Liverpool are not completely out of the running for the title, they are slipping further and further away from it with each game that passes. Six wins and five draws at home speaks volumes for a team that are desperate to end a 19-year wait for domestic supremacy. Benitez has no ground to complain about transfer dealings after he has been backed in market in every deal apart from his attempts to sign Aston Villa's Gareth Barry. This was because the club's American owners came to the conclusion that paying a ludicrous amount of money for a 28-year-old holding midfielder was not a sensible business move with the presence of Xabi Alonso at Anfield and in addition to them relinquishing £19 million for Benitez to buy a striker of a similar age who, unbeknown to them at the time, would fail to hit the ground running. Whilst it could be argued that Benitez has been astute in his dealings - namely Reina, Alonso, Mascherano and Torres - his insistence on recruiting sub-par mercenaries has been part and parcel of the standard tenure for a Liverpool manager post-Dalglish.

The ever-modest Benitez recently underwent a personality transplant by issuing brash comments about Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United's chief executive David Gill. The approach the Spaniard took in attacking the employees of Liverpool's most hated rivals was inaccurate and ill-timed. The verbal assault on Ferguson may have been viewed upon by an outsider as fair comment but Benitez made himself look very foolish by accusing Gill of double standards in his position at the FA. His comments came 48 hours after his Liverpool side had failed to extend their lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League and 24 hours after United had edged closer to usurping the Anfield club at the top of the table.

Tactical stubbornness, the inability to capitalise on a winning position and public slanging matches appear to be forming the new legacy of Rafael Benitez as Liverpool manager. It has taken four years from that 2005 Champions League victory for the Reds to maintain a serious title bid. When one considers that in that time Manchester United have taken their title tally to 17 crowns, just one away from equalling Liverpool's record, the urgency to keep one step ahead of the Old Trafford club is adding to the supporters' expectations and it appears that Benitez's team are on the verge of repeating the feat of their predecessors in 1996/97. Perhaps the Spaniard would do well to heed the words of Marshall Mathers in order to prevent this, "You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime."

The 'friendly' derby

Encounters between Liverpool and Everton have always been about tribal warfare, as is the unwritten law of football, and have always had a more ferocious atmosphere to them compared to other clashes. Tackles fly in left, right and centre, both sets of supporters become more abusive to each other with every foul that goes unpunished. The passion filters through the ground in an instant. That is the setting for every derby and has been for the past 15 years.

The above image will no doubt draw criticism in some quarters for its depiction of Liverpool supporters in last season's Merseyside derby at Anfield. The intention was to highlight the boiling point that the atmosphere and animosity in these games has reached and it makes the point perfectly.

But why have things been allowed to escalate to this volatile level?

The Guardian's Gregg Roughley attempted to shed some light on the how, what and wherefore that has led to emotions boiling over on the terraces ahead of the Anfield derby in February 2007.

He wrote: "The perpetuation of the myth suits the family-friendly Premiership, but the reality is a little different: the modern-day derby is a hate-ridden, noxious affair that should come with a health warning, lest one inhales the fumes rising off the Gladwys Street or Spion Kop. Reds and Blues are no longer compatible. Toss a Red into the Gladwys Street, or a Toffee into the Kop and the reaction is as explosive as dropping a granule of zinc into sulphuric acid.

Much of the sourness was born of the Heysel disaster in 1985. Everton had just pipped Liverpool to the league title with arguably their greatest-ever side, containing Peter Reid, Graeme Sharp and Trevor Steven. The subsequent five-year ban prevented Howard Kendall's team from competing for the European Cup, which many Toffees believe they would have won.

Liverpool, however, dusted themselves down and entered a halcyon period of their own in which Kenny Dalglish landed three league titles and two FA Cups. And while Everton struggled through the 90s with frequent flirtations with relegation - offset briefly by their impressive FA Cup win in 1995 - a mediocre Liverpool still managed a couple of cup wins, the occasional half-hearted title challenge and the huge publicity that went with their status as 'Spice Boys'.

Arguably the most laddish of that group, Robbie Fowler, fanned the derby flames further at Anfield in 1999 by responding to Evertonian chants of 'smackhead' by pretending to snort a line of cocaine after converting a penalty in front of Toffees fans. This heightened the blue half of Merseyside's antipathy towards the Reds - particularly as Robbie was a boyhood Evertonian - before Liverpool's cup treble under Gerard Houlier in 2001 prompted the hatred to spill over in most unedifying fashion, as Evertonians hurled Heysel insults at their red counterparts, bringing short a minute's silence at Goodison Park to remember those who died at Hillsborough.

Sadly, the friendly banter may never return - until, perhaps, the on-field disparity between Everton and Liverpool inches towards parity again. Liverpool's imminent mega-bucks takeover makes this highly unlikely, which is a shame. For with Tim Cahill, Andy Johnson and Mikel Arteta, Everton are building a team that could yet have their supporters focusing on the pitch instead of the past.

Yet until sustained success allows Everton to win more than single-game bragging rights over their city rivals, ignore the fairytale and expect to hear chants of 'murderers' and reports of city-centre arrests. A friendly derby? My arse."

Roughley's piece, which can be found in full here, rang so true two years on that it was sorely tempting not to repost the entire article.

Everything written was sadly accurate and one has to wonder why things have been allowed to stoop to this level on both sides of Stanley Park.These games regurgitate hatred and stooping to the lowest common denominator in a warped case of one-upmanship during the annual battles for civic pride. There has never been such a thing as a ‘friendly derby’ in my lifetime, far from it in fact.

My abiding memory of the ill feeling and hatred felt during a Merseyside derby dates back to the game at Anfield in September 1999 which the Blues won thanks to a solitary Kevin Campbell goal. The game is remembered from a personal perspective for Steve Staunton’s appearance in the latter stages of the game as Liverpool’s stand-in goalkeeper following Sander Westerveld’s dismissal for participating in a reconstruction of the Terry McDermott-Gary Stanley fracas of derby folklore with Francis Jeffers. The Reds had also seen Steven Gerrard dismissed and, having used all three substitutes that night, Gerard Houllier was forced to use veteran defender Staunton as Liverpool’s stopper. He did surprisingly well, tipping over a close range effort from Abel Xavier – who would later become a Liverpool player in 2002 – and kept a clean sheet during his 15 minutes in the goalkeeping spotlight.

As with last season’s derby, off pitch events took precedent as I was sat a row in front of Everton supporters who had got hold of tickets for the dad and lads’ section of the Kop. They were not very subtle in their appearance; all decked out in Everton shirts and all blue attire and their behaviour throughout the match. The ten or so Blues sang some terrace favourites about their hatred of their hosts and some pretty vile ones at that.

Walking away from the ground at the final whistle there seemed to be an abundance of Evertonians dotted around than there would have been normally. Obviously they were revelling in the victory as was their want. The one incidentthat sticks out for me was one of an unashamed Blue who stood in the doorway of someone's house on Venice Street, revelling in the result with his mate on his mobile phone and as we walked past he said: “Yeah they’re all walking past sick as anything. It’s bloody great!” - a fairly innocent comment but my dad didn’t see it that way and took it upon himself to shout “enjoy it blue*****!” in response. The kind gent was polite enough to shout back "The blue boys are back in business - yer avin' that yer murderin' red***** *****!" as we were halfway down the road.Pleasantries may have gone out the window but who said the romance of derby day was dead?

Last season's Anfield derby typified how far this vitriolic hatred between red and blue has boiled over to their clubs to the point where bitterness meets political correctness and idiocy. In the aftermath of Liverpool's 1-0 win in March last year, Merseyside Police met with representatives from both the Reds and Everton to investigate allegations made on both sides of Stanley Park about incidents that occurred during the game - all of which occurred off the field of play.

Everton alleged that their captain Phil Neville was spat at and punched by Liverpool supporters as he prepared to take a throw in. Television pictures show Neville having his shirt tugged and being goaded by several Liverpool supporters when he attempted to take the throw in. More detailed surveillance showed one supporters spitting three times on the Everton captain’s shirt. Many have argued that, although it was indefensible, what happened to Neville is part and parcel of the passion and rivalry felt in the game that has existed for decades. Neville is an ex-Manchester United player and the brother of Gary Neville - notorious for his hatred of Liverpool Football Club, the city of Liverpool and its people. Regardless of his status as Everton captain or what he does during his time at the club, Neville is a Mancunian and that is how he will always be remembered and treated by Liverpool supporters. The two culprits received banning orders which restricts them from attending any football stadiums in the next three years in addition to a lifetime ban from Anfield which Liverpool FC imposed.

Whilst this incident was the most serious to be reported from the game the complaint was not the first lodged. The to-ing and fro-ing of claims and counter claims came from Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez who singled out Steven Gerrard for praise for his performance in the victor and added a risqué comment relating to chants about Gerrard's family aimed at the Liverpool skipper by the travelling supporters. Benitez made similarly subtle jibes at Liverpool's neighbours after the same fixture in 2007 when he referred to Everton as a 'small club'.

In the days that followed more incidents that took place during the game were logged with Merseyside Police, who were called to investigate several allegations including claims that Everton supporters chanted about incarcerated Liverpool supporter Michael Shields and the 1989 Hillsborough disaster in which 96 supporters lost their lives. The home support was accused of singing similar songs aimed at Everton's Joleon Lescott.  Throughout this childlike bickering by club officials, where many a "their fans said this" and "their fans said that" was uttered, one had to wonder how the police could investigate the alleged chants aired at a football match.

In addition to the two games between Liverpool and Everton next week being televised affairs, Merseyside Police are attempting to make sure that there is not a repeat of last February’s incidents and have issued a warning to anyone involved in what Chief Superintendant Dave Lewisdescribed as ‘abhorrent andcriminal chanting' that they will be ejected from the ground if caught and the force’s football intelligence unit will apply for banning orders against the individuals.

It doesn’t look like relations between the two sides will improve, nor will they ever go back to the way they were before all this hatred reared its ugly head. The ill feeling of a minority on both sides of Stanley Park has been passed down to a generation who are remorseless about the chants they will sing inside the ground. For 90 minutes at least twice a season, mutual respect and common decency goes AWOL. There won’t be any chants of ‘Merseyside’ ringing around Anfield on Monday night or indeed next Sunday when the two sides meet in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Despite the honourable intentions of the Liverpool Unites campaign, football is the one issue will continue to divide the city long after the final whistle is blown.

Talking first, thinking later

Rarely has a journalist had to back-pedal so rapidly after nailing their colours so firmly to a particular mast but I'm going to be one of those few by publicly withdrawing my support for Rafael Benitez in his attack on Sir Alex Ferguson.

The piece which can be found below this article also featured on ShanklyGates.co.uk on Sunday afternoon where it was held back for 48 hours on a purely editorial basis and coincided with the news that Ferguson had responded to Benitez's comments.

The Liverpool manager's verbal onslaught a week ago was met with great delight by supporters and the media alike. No doubt his Manchester United counterpart will have had a wry smile on his face as he watched the footage in his ivory towers having seen his words about Liverpool 'choking' under the pressure of the title race have the desired effect.

Saturday morning's back pages were full of the news of the Spaniard's assault to the 'stunned' media. Some compared Benitez's speech to the ranting Kevin Keegan in 1996 who told Richard Keys and a national television audience how he would "absolutley love it" if his Newcastle United team pipped Ferguson's side to the league that year. The similarities between the reactions of Benitez and Keegan are few and far between. The only notable ones are that the comments were both aired in front of television cameras and both came on the back of Ferguson questioning the title credentials of the respective clubs in both 1996 and 2009.

However unlike Keegan, Benitez received backing in some quarters and even from retired Premier League official Graham Poll who agreed with the Spaniard's views on Ferguson's castigation of referees.

“Rafa Benitez has articulated what referees have been thinking for years - that Sir Alex Ferguson can say what he wants about them and the FA will allow him to get away with it," he told the Daily Mail.

“The authorities could point to Ferguson's two-match ban imposed earlier this season as proof that he is not out of reach of their disciplinary department. But that was for marching onto the field after the 4-3 win over Hull and for comments made directly to the referee, Mike Dean, who, in reporting the misconduct, forced the FA's hand.”

Poll was forced to clarify his comments 48 hours later when he described Benitez's attitude to referees as "almost ambivalent". He also claimed referees have "no contact" with the Liverpool manager at matches, stating that Ferguson is more personable.

"What I would say about refereeing at Old Trafford is it's the place to go and referee in the Premier League - because it's the biggest one, so that's where referees aspire to," he admitted.

"The first time you go there, of course you're going to be nervous; of course you're going to be tentative and you're well aware of reputations.

"But once you're an experienced referee it doesn't make any difference. You go out and referee completely impartially to the best of your ability.

"It's a slight on the top referees to say they are intimidated by Ferguson, because I don't think they are."

Following Liverpool's goalless draw with Stoke City, Benitez was questioned about the views expressed in his pre-match press conference and insisted that he was very much in control of the verbal conflict.

"If Mr Ferguson would stop talking about Liverpool maybe it would be good. He is clearly nervous about Liverpool," he told reporters at the Britannia Stadium.

"I can tell you that a lot of people have sent a lot of messages - not to me but to my staff and a lot of people at the club - to say, 'At least one person has said something everybody wanted to say.'

"I have a lot of respect for him. He is a great manager but he was talking too much about Liverpool, so clearly he has to stop."

However, Benitez drew a further similarity with former Anfield hero Keegan by seemingly taking leave of his senses following Ferguson's response to his outburst after United's 3-0 demolition of Chelsea at Old Trafford last Sunday.

"I think you have got to cut through the venom of it, and hopefully he will reflect and understand that what he was saying was absolutely ridiculous," said Ferguson.

"I think he was an angry man and I think he was disturbed for some reason. That's all I've got to say about it."

A day later, Benitez turned his attention to United's chief executive by describing David Gill's senior position at the FA as 'powerful' and claimed that it is a conflict of interest with his duties at the club.

"They were saying we are not a threat," Benitez told the Daily Mirror.

"Now they know we are, they are starting mind games.

"But I don't think it's a mind game when you have control over everything, it's a mind game when you have the same level as the other people, then you can show you are cleverer than the others.

"But when you have control of everything and your chief executive is powerful in the FA and things like this, then that is not mind games.

"Is there a conflict of interest with David Gill at the FA? That is another fact. It is a fact that one person has a lot of power and control, and is on a lot of committees in the FA. To me that is very strange."

"A lot of people think the same as me," he added.

"I need to change my mobile phone because it is blocked with so many messages of support, and I am not surprised by that."

Gill later dismissed the claims and it's clear to see why they were so easily dismissed. In the past seven days Benitez has gone from a generally humble and tight-lipped tactician to coming across as a poor man's Jose Mourinho. This new approach of his was refreshing for supporters and pundits to see and the prospect of future 'mind games' between Ferguson and Benitez could provide a very entertaining finale to the season but it could also detract from Liverpool's title challenge. Manchester United are currently second in the Barclays Premier League on 44 points, two behind the Reds, with a game in hand. As it was for Newcastle in 95/96, the title is Liverpool's to lose.

Let the mind games begin

The words Rafael Benitez and press conferences have never been uttered in the same sentence with much pleasure by Liverpool supporters - until this afternoon that is.

The Reds' manager has been featured on the back pages for the wrong reasons on several occasions - most notably in October 2007 when he vented his frustrations at the battle he was fighting with owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks to relinquish funds for future transfers. To say the least, this was an awkward moment for not only for Benitez but for the supporters who could see that the boss was in an imposssible position.

He hit the headlines again for similar reasons in August last year, on the morning of Liverpool's opening game of the season, where he aired his grievances over the lack of movement on the possible capture of Aston Villa's Gareth Barry and told reporters that any questions on transfer dealings should be redirected to chief executive Rick Parry.

Ahead of the visit to Stoke City, Benitez was asked about comments made by Sir Alex Ferguson that his side would choke under the pressure of keeping their lead in the title race and drop out early on - this despite Liverpool sitting top of the Barclays Premiership at Christmas.

The Spaniard's trademark smile did not drop as he responded and attacked the Manchester United manager for attempting to drag him into mind games at such an early stage of the season.

Benitez did not shy away from the comments made by his Old Trafford counterpart, instead he proceeded to list flaws in Ferguson's argument. He also listed incidents that showed up the United manager to be above the law when it came to disciplinary proceedings in relation to making comments about referees.

"During the Respect campaign - and this is a fact - Mr Ferguson was charged by the FA for improper conduct after comments made about Martin Atkinson and Keith Hackett," said Benitez.

"He was not punished. He is the only manager in the league that cannot be punished for these things."

The Liverpool manager remained composed as he continued to tear strips off the Scot and refused to accept the excuse made by the United boss that their fixture list was far too congested following their return from the FIFA Club World Cup. .

"Then he was talking about the fixtures," he continued.

"Two years ago we were playing a lot of early kick-offs away on Saturdays when United were playing on Sundays. And we didn't say anything.

"Now he is complaining about everything, that everybody is against United. But the second half of the season will see them playing at home against all the teams at the top of the table, it is a fantastic advantage.

"But at Christmas, United played on the 29th and the rest of the teams played on the 28th. We were away against Newcastle two days after playing Bolton. They were playing about 40 hours later, they were not complaining then.

"And about his behaviour with referees. The Southampton manager he knows how Mr Ferguson works and how he works, he was very clear. I am not playing mind games, just facts.

"If he wants to talk about fixtures, and have a level playing field as you say in England. There are two options if we don't want more problems with fixtures.

"One is the same as in Spain, the draw for the first part of the league is known, everyone knows which weekend. In the second half everyone plays the opposite, so you all know.

"Sky and Setanta have the right to choose their games and it will be the same for everyone. So Mr Ferguson will not be complaining about fixtures and a campaign against United.

"Or there is another option. That Mr Ferguson organises the fixtures in his office and sends it to us and everyone will know and cannot complain. That is simple.

"We know what happens every time we go to Old Trafford and the United staff. They are always going man to man with the referees, especially at half-time when they walk close to the referees and they are talking and talking.

"All managers need to know is that only Mr Ferguson can talk about the fixtures, can talk about referees and nothing happens.

"We need to know that I am taking about facts, not my impression. There are things that everyone can see every single week.

"Are they under pressure? Maybe they were not thinking that we would be at the top of the table in January. But we are at the top of the table and they are nervous."

The final ace up the tactician's sleeve was to state that Ferguson was 'killing' the FA's Respect campaign as well as undermining the authority of the referees involved in it

"To hear someone talking when he has problems with referees every single week, and now complaining about the fixtures and complaining about everything, I think that is not fair.

"You can see every single week how they put referees under pressure, we know this. We have seen it before. We have seen players sent off at Old Trafford and we do not see our opponents sent off.

"It is part of the game. But to complain and to always have an advantage is not fair.

"We had a meeting in Manchester with managers and FA about the Respect campaign. And I was very clear, forget the campaign because Mr Ferguson was killing the referees, killing Mr Atkinson, killing Mr Hackett.

"But he is not punished. How can you talk about the respect campaign and criticise the referee every single week?

"You can analyse the facts and come to your own decision and ideas"

No doubt Sir Alex was sitting uncomfortably as he watched the interview in the canteen of United's Carrington training ground as the managerial stalwart was knocked off his f***** perch by the manager of his most hated rivals.

Fancy seeing you here...again

The FA Cup – arguably the greatest club competition in the world. From the top flight clubs right the way down to part-timers, the grassroots element of the game is still evident to this day.

The passion of each team and their supporters to win the historical trophy has been a time honoured tradition since the formation of the competition in 1871.  Everything from shock giant killings to fairytale endings, the FA Cup has it all.

Whilst some people prefer the glamour and lure of the Champions League, from its high profile fixtures to its highly glamorous trophy, they cannot deny that the FA Cup is the one club competition where anything is truly possible.

Liverpool have won the famous trophy seven times in total and our first victory in 1965 was a long overdue one after several unsuccessful experiences which includes four terms as losing finalists against Burnley in 1914, Arsenal in 1950 and Manchester United in 1977 and 1996 respectively.

Like its poorer cousin the League Cup, the Football Association Challenge Cup, to give it its official title, was an occasional visitor to the Anfield trophy room in the 1980s and fittingly resided approximately 1244 footsteps across Stanley Park from beaten finalists in both 1986 and 1989 – Everton.

The Reds and the Blues have faced each other 13 times in the competition. Their first post-war meeting was the 1950 semi final at Maine Road where goals from Billy Liddell and Bob Paisley sent Liverpool through to the final where they lost to Arsenal. Paisley, who would later become the club’s most successful manager, was left out of the side for the final. A brace from John Evans and goals from Liddell and Alan A’Court helped the Reds to a 4-0 rout at Goodison Park in the 4th round on January 29 1955. The sides met again in the 5th round 12 years later where the Blues won the game by a single goal.

Four years after the’67 defeat they were drawn together again, this time in the 1971 semi final. Alun Evans and Brian Hall were the scorers in the 2-1 win at Old Trafford. History repeated itself for Liverpool in the final where they faced Arsenal, their opponents in 1950, and lost 2-1.

In 1977, before Liverpool lifted their first European Cup, the rivals were paired up in the semi final again at the same venue they had contested the same tie in 1950. The Reds drew the tie 2-2 thanks to goals from Terry McDermott and Jimmy Case but the game has become infamous for the decision of referee Clive Thomas to disallow Brian Hamilton’s goal which would have sent Everton through to the final. Three minutes from time Ronnie Goodlass crossed the ball into the Liverpool area, Hamilton could not meet it with either his head or his boots so he threw himself at the ball. It bounced off his hip, past Ray Clemence in the Liverpool goal and into the net. Match official Thomas ruled that Hamilton was offside which sent the tie to a replay at Maine Road four days later. The Reds ran out comfortable 3-0 winners with goals from Jimmy Case, Ray Kennedy and a penalty from Phil Neal.

As with every year that Liverpool faced Everton in an FA Cup semi final, they failed to win the trophy – this time losing 2-1 to Manchester United four days before they beat Borussia Moenchengladbach in Rome to claim their first European Cup.

Four years later, in January 1981, the Reds were chasing a third European crown but were dumped out of the FA Cup in the 4th round at Goodison Park. Goals from Peter Eastoe and Imre Varadi were enough to send the Blues through despite Jimmy Case pulling back a goal on 76 minutes. Varadi remembers the reaction he received from the Liverpool supporters assembled behind the Park End goal where he scored. “I was so excited I ran around the back of the goal not realising it was full of away supporters,” he recalls. “I incurred the wrath of an angry Liverpool fan who chucked a meat and potato pie straight into my face – I can still taste it now!”

The 1986 showpiece saw the first ever all-Merseyside final in the competition as Kenny Dalglish’s side prepared to complete a league and cup double. Chants of ‘Merseyside’ reverberated around Wembley as they had two years previous when Liverpool and Everton contested the 1984 Milk Cup. However unlike that game, which ended goalless and went to a replay at Maine Road which the Reds won 1-0 thanks to a Graeme Souness effort, the red half of Merseyside triumphed. Gary Lineker opened the scoring only to see it cancelled out by a brace by Ian Rush either side of a Craig Johnston goal to give ensure that a domestic double would be winging its way to the Anfield trophy cabinet in Dalglish’s first season.

Another 5th round meeting followed in 1988 at Goodison Park where the Reds ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a Ray Houghton header. The game however is remembered for the infamous incident which saw John Barnes racially abused by the home support which included a banana being thrown at the England international. The image of the midfielder back-heeling the object as he stood on the touchline is still used as part of the Kick Racism Out of Football scheme to highlight the abuse black players were subjected to in the 1980s.

A year later the teams met in a repeat of the 1986 final but the occasion was overshadowed by tragedy following the Hillsborough disaster five weeks earlier which saw 96 Liverpool supporters lose their lives. Merseyside was once again united as red and blue stood side by side as Gerry Marsden led an emotional rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone before kick-off. The game went to extra time after Stuart McCall cancelled out John Aldridge’s opener, one minute from time. McCall scored again to level the score at 2-2 but it was cancelled out by Ian Rush’s second goal of the game less than two minutes later which saw the Reds lift the trophy for the fourth time and provide a fitting tribute to those who had died in Sheffield.

The next meeting in the competition in February 1991 was also an emotional encounter as it proved to be Kenny Dalglish’s final game in charge of Liverpool Football Club. The Scot had been at Anfield for 14 years, both as player and manager, but the burden he had to carry after Hillsborough as he remained the tower of strength for the club in its darkest hour had taken its toll. Following a goalless draw at Anfield, the 5th round tie was sent to a replay at Goodison where Everton came from behind four times, including one in the dying seconds of normal time from Tony Cotte to take the game into extra time. Despite this the tie ended 4-4 and was followed by a replay at the same venue, five days later where a Dave Watson goal was enough to send Everton through to the next round. After the first replay Dalglish’s post match word, his last as Liverpool manager, were full of surprise at what he had seen unfold that night. "If there has ever been any better cup-ties than that, then I wish that someone would send me a video of them. I have never been involved in a game like that before," he said.

The game between the two sides on the weekend of January 24/25 will be the second meeting between the sides in a week after the Blues make the short trip to Anfield for the return fixture of their league encounter with the Reds where they will be hoping to avenge the 2-0 defeat they suffered at Goodison in September. However Liverpool will also be looking for revenge following their defeat to their rivals in the competition 18 years previous as well as providing a fitting tribute to the 96 who died at Hillsborough in the 20th year of the anniversary of the disaster – something defender Jamie Carragher is hoping that his side will achieve.

"It will be 20 years since Hillsborough, and that is something we are all obviously aware of," he said.

"Because of that there will be extra significance attached to the competition for us. Going on to win it would be the perfect tribute to those who died."

Merseyside derbies are normally raw, emotional encounters and if history is anything to go by, the fourteenth meeting between Liverpool and Everton in the FA Cup will be no different.