Liverpool travel to Manchester and Old Trafford to face United for the second time in two weeks in a match that, depending on your resting heart rate, is either mildly exciting or something that's possibly life threatening. There's as much to cover off the pitch as there is on, but for everyone's sanity we'll try to just do the football.

It may not have been a man of the match-calibre performance, as those honours would have to have gone to one of the defenders—and probably either Glen Johnson or Martin Skrtel. And he likely didn't even have as good a game as his previous two against Wolverhampton and Manchester United. Regardless of that, however, after nearly a full calendar year filled almost entirely by futility as he struggled first with fitness and then with fitting in, it's understandable that on the back of three strong showings on the bounce people would be eager to look for any upside they can find in the 2012 edition of Andy Carroll.

::: FistedAway welcomes a guest post from Elliott,
editor of the rather lovely Futfanatico :::

The path from the cusp of destruction to redemption has been a long one for Liverpool FC fans. Bad apple Americans owners. The departure of Rafael Benitez. The exodus of star players like Xabi Alonso.

Liverpool can't continue their hot streak and end up with their eighth home draw of the campaign, failing to take advantage of a Spurs side that were lacking in both personnel and intent. With the success of the past few weeks creating a healthy dose of optimism this one's got to be chalked up as a disappointment, and worrying in that Liverpool yet again failed to capitalize in a match that mostly looked like theirs for the taking.

February kicks off for Liverpool on Monday, with Spurs set to visit Anfield in the first match of another important month. Liverpool will look to carry their momentum from the domestic cup triumphs and a comfortable 3-0 win at Wolves into the match, which hopefully signals a turnaround from a disappointing league stretch to open 2012 that had seen them winless until the final day of January.

In our last poll, we asked whether the club needed to sign a striker, winger, attacking midfielder, or holding midfielder in the transfer window to shore up one of the areas of weakness that had become apparent over the course of the 2011-12 season. An overwhelming majority of nearly 70% said that what the club needed more than anything was a striker, while 17% said winger, 8% said attacking midfielder, and only 5% said holding midfielder.

Carroll celebrates with Bellamy and Henderson...Liverpool put three past a lacklustre Wolves side yesterday at a freezing cold Molineux. Andy Carroll got himself on the score sheet whilst Wolves struggled to find a goalscorer at all. The win moved Liverpool into 5th in the table.
Wolves had less worries than originally thought injury wise as Frimpong ended up being able to start in midfield for McCarthy's side.

Liverpool recorded their first Barclays Premier League victory of 2012 with an...

Wolverhampton 0
Liverpool 3 Carroll 52′, Bellamy 61′, Kuyt 78′

It was another chance for a struggling club to inject some life into their season by facing a Liverpool side unable to find consistent results against opposition below them in the table. Unlike Liverpool's last opponents Bolton, however, Wolves never really threatened to take control of the match, though it nevertheless seemed to be going down a familiar path for Liverpool for the first fifty minutes as chances were wasted and midfield devolved into an indecisive muddle.

Back down to Earth for Liverpool, as they travel to the West Midlands to face 19th-place Wolverhampton. It's a stark contrast from the action of the past week, facing opposition at the bottom of the table, away from Anfield, and with nothing immediately at stake. And if you've paid attention to Liverpool at all this season, it's cause for concern, with form against the mid- and lower-table sides worlds apart from the displays we've seen the last two times out.

I'd love for Carroll to score in this one...Liverpool travel to my hometown of Wolverhampton on Tuesday night as they prepare to face Wolves in the Premier League. Liverpool are on a massive high after knocking both Manchester City and Manchester United out of the League and FA Cup, but can the Reds compose themselves in exactly the sort of fixture that has caused them to stumble in the league?

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has dismissed suggestions that the club approached Manchester City over the weekend with a proposal to swap Andy Carroll for exiled Argentine Carlos Tevez.

Carroll, who has struggled continuously with form and fitness since his £35 million move from Newcastle United in last year's January transfer window, recently spoke about his determination to make a mark at Anfield.

The out-Stoking of Stoke at Anfield two weeks ago, followed a week later by the utter shambles of a performance at Bolton, set the table for a four-day stretch in which Liverpool's future, not only in the two domestic cup competitions, had been placed in the balance by a fairly significant portion of those who fancy themselves supporters of both Liverpool and general unrest.

The transfer activities in the premier league has been set ablaze with just 3...

Liverpool 2: Agger 21′, Kuyt 88′
United 1: Park 40′

Liverpool progress past a Manchester side in a cup competition for the second time in four days, this time defeating United on the strength of a late Dirk Kuyt winner. After the nadir at Bolton, it's been a terrific week for Liverpool, first reaching the final of the League Cup with the aggregate win over City, and now fighting through a tense match that was dominated at times by the visitors to get the win in the dying moments.

It has certainly been an eventful week for Liverpool FC and it is far from over just yet as the club prepares for one of the biggest games of its season when Manchester United takes the pitch at Anfield in the FA Cup tomorrow afternoon.

On the pitch, Liverpool have already taken care of another Manchester team earlier in the week, knocking league leaders City out of the Carling Cup 3-2 on aggregate to progress to the final at Wembley.

Liverpool's big week culminates with Manchester United's trip to Anfield in the fourth round of the FA Cup tomorrow, two weeks ahead of their visit to Old Trafford in league. United had the more arduous task in the third round, traveling across town to the Etihad, where they scraped past City in a 3-2 win.

This transfer business can sometimes be similar to a game of chess between the clubs involved, but if it is a game then one thing is for sure, over the last couple of seasons Newcastle United have shown themselves to be one of the better players with the quiet but efficient aquisition of plyers [..

A trip to Wembley and Liverpool's first cup final in nearly five years are on the line tomorrow, with Manchester City heading to Anfield for the second leg of the League Cup semi-final. Liverpool have a 1-0 advantage from the first leg after a Steven Gerrard penalty capped a dominant opening spell for Kenny Dalglish's squad, but there's little illusion that they'll be able to coast into the final, with City more than capable of turning the tie over.

Kenny Dalglish may have threatened to axe some under-performing players in the Liverpool squad following Saturday's humiliating 3-1 loss to Bolton but he has firmly maintained his support behind winger Stewart Downing.

Downing cost the Reds £20 million during the summer transfer window and despite showing sparks of brilliance, the England international has yet to score or provide an assist in his Liverpool career.

Well, what a day in the old Anglais de Premiero that was. (Pretty sure that's a flawless translation) Barely had we put on a pair of trousers that could be deemed fit for public display was Fernando Torres and his new chums doing a hilarious job of not beating Norwich at Carrow Road.

Bolton 3: Davies 4′, Reo-Coker 29′, Steinsson 50′
Liverpool 1: Bellamy 37′

Bolton thoroughly dominate Liverpool at the Reebok and coast to a 3-1 victory that boosts them out of the relegation zone. The host's performance was certainly deserving of victory, and Liverpool's was equally deserving of a loss.

Liverpool get back in the swing of things to see out a busy January, heading to the Reebok in hopes of getting three points for only the second time in six matches. As has mostly been the case in league over the past month and a half, they won't face an entirely overwhelming opposition, with Bolton only a point above Wigan in 19th.

Under-pressure Liverpool striker Andy Carroll admits that the return of skipper Steven Gerrard has boosted his hopes of performing more consistently for the Reds.

Carroll, who was signed for over £35 million from Newcastle United last January, has scored only four times in 25 appearances for the Merseyside outfit, leading to continuous criticism from both within and outside the club.

It's a fortress, but there's just too many draws...Liverpool were held to another draw at Anfield yesterday as they struggled to get anything past Tony Pulis's Stoke side. The Potters played in their stereotypical way and whilst they would have been extremely happy with the point Liverpool were left frustrated.

Stoke City head to Anfield currently sitting alone in eighth and unbeaten in their last four. Tony Pulis' side has managed success both domestically and in Europe, as they'll accompany the two Manchester sides in the first knockout round of the Europa League early next month. Liverpool will hope to continue their relative hot streak at home, during which they've scored eight goals in their last two matches at Anfield and finally found a way to finish chances.

Once again the tabloid media have attempted to test our credulity, this time with the risible idea that Liverpool would be willing to dispose of Andy Carroll for a fraction of the £35 million they paid for him just one year ago, and to Newcastle United of all clubs. Firstly the figure of £20 million [.

With something close to optimism sweeping through our barren and lifeless souls over the past week, you'd be forgiven for expecting some sort of catastrophe to follow closely after Wednesday's win. A victory amid reports of cannibalism in the changing room. A well-struck penalty suspected of being guided by a boot with a secret sandpaper layer.

Rumours abound about Andy Carroll, Ravel Morrison, Junior Hoilett and Wilfried Zaha but so far there has been no action from Newcastle United in this transfer window. After yesterday's rumours about Andy Carroll's potential return to Newcastle, people have been queueing up to dismiss it all as twaddle.

Manchester City 0
Liverpool 1 Steven Gerrard 13′ (pk)

A week after falling 3-0 to Manchester City in the league, a Liverpool side without two of their top players returned to face a City side missing three of their best for the first leg of the League Cup semi-finals.

Rumors are doing the rounds today both in papers and online that Liverpool are looking to offload striker Andy Carroll, just one year after he was signed for a club record of £35million. Personally I think this is just talk to feed the rumor mill.

Sure he hasn't lived up to his over inflated deadline day transfer just yet, but people need to remember he is still only 23 and if it wasn't for a few great saves or the cross bar being a couple of inches higher he would have an extra 3 or 4 goals this season and things wouldn't look all that bad considering the minutes he has actually played.

Newcastle United appear to be interested in a couple of strikers if press reports are to be believed, one of which could be Andy Carroll. The big news to hit the press today is the rumours that Newcastle may be trying to strike a deal to bring Andy Carroll back from Liverpool. Our friend the [...]

For the third time in two months, Liverpool and Manchester City square off, this time in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final. Liverpool's trip to the Eastlands last week ended with the visitors on the wrong end of a 0-3 result that saw City concede most of the possession but take the chances they managed to create.

Last summer, Liverpool rather famously spent big on players who created chances. To many, they paid far too much for far too little and the results haven't lived up to the expenditure, but regardless of whether one agreed with the approach at least there was a clearly identifiable approach: Find the Premier League players who created the most scoring opportunities and then start throwing money in their general direction.

A comfortable scoreline and advancement to the next round of the FA Cup. Struggling players getting on the scoresheet. A good day, then. Even a great day. When absolutely nothing went wrong and no bad news came out...

* Luis Suarez served the second match of his eight-game ban, Andy Carroll scored, and Stewart Downing broke his 22-match scoring drought.

Whoever were unable to watch the match live on TV can watch this goal...

Gerrard kisses the ball after netting his peno...Liverpool put five goals past an Oldham side that took the lead at Anfield on Friday night. A very different starting line up for Liverpool allowed Dalglish to try something new and for once Liverpool could be described as clinical rather than wasteful.

Liverpool 5: Bellamy 29′, Gerrard 45+1′, Shelvey 68′, Carroll 89′, Downing 90+5′
Oldham 1: Simpson 27′

It's finally the scoreline we were waiting for, but a lackadaisical first half and an incident late in the second take some of the sheen off for Liverpool, who worked their way past Oldham on the strength of a terrific display by Craig Bellamy.

By guest writer: Jamie McLaughlin I watched the Liverpool match the other...

Liverpool step into the last remaining competition on their calendar, welcoming Oldham Athletic to Anfield in the third round of the FA Cup. The League One side got past Southend United in the second round after a draw forced the home replay, which the hosts won 1-0. Liverpool will be looking to get past the third round for just the third time in six seasons after crashing out to Reading and Manchester United in the past two seasons.