Liverpool: Maxi 53′
Blackburn: Adam (og) 45′

Liverpool drop points again at Anfield, failing convert their late surge into a winning goal against a stubborn Blackburn Rovers side. The return of Steven Gerrard and two late chances got our hopes up, but in the end it was the same frustrating story we've seen from Liverpool so many times in the past year.

It's back to Anfield for Liverpool as they host Blackburn in the penultimate match of 2011. Home victories have been hard to come by for Kenny Dalglish's squad, with only three wins in their eight matches at Anfield. There's no better opposition for remedying that problem than tomorrow's, though, as they'll face a Rovers side that's winless in eight away fixtures and stapled to the bottom of the Premier League table.

The Carling Cup quarterfinals were full of entertainment and although four teams saw their chances of going to Wembley brought to an end, the remaining four shall offer plenty more in the semis.

For now, here is a look at five lessons learned, in no particular order, from the quarterfinals:

1.

Liverpool visit Craven Cottage tomorrow and a Fulham side that's struggled to piece together any sort of positive results domestically, winning only twice thus far on the season. They've got nearly identical records home and away, with their first and only win at home coming in early October.

Fulham 1: Dempsey 85′
Liverpool 0

Same old song and dance for Liverpool with a questionable sending-off and a Pepe Reina error to spice things up, as the hosts get a late winner and the wasteful guests spend most of their possession not finishing chances. Posts were hit, fouls weren't given, upper hand was wasted.

David N'gog, born April 1st, 1989, turned 22 earlier this year. Andy Carroll, born January 6th, 1989, also turned 22 earlier this year. Last season with Liverpool, N'gog started nine matches in the league and made a further 16 substitute appearances, playing a total of 1057 minutes. He scored twice, once every 529 minutes—or roughly once every six games.

By Chris Wright

Andy Carroll scoring twice in one game? Please!

Via @James_Dart

It only takes one bad touch for the criticism to start. You know that it's coming as soon as Andy Carroll misplaces a pass or fails to control a ball; the comments that he's not worth the money spent on him, how he's a big mistake, that he's too lazy to try and make it work.
You can even sense some wanting him to fail so that they can tell everyone that they told you so.

The last of the newly promoted sides visits Anfield tomorrow, as Neil Warnock's twelfth-placed QPR side look to continue the success experienced by Norwich and Swansea. It's been an up and down campaign so far, but with more than a few promising displays, they'll hope to match their fellow newcomers.

Venue: Carrow Road, Norwich. Date: Saturday 10th Dec, 2011. Kick-off: 3.00pm. Referee: Martin Atkinson. Pies: D.Smith. The Magpies of Newcastle United will be looking to pick themselves up after a tough trio of fixtures and recent injury woes as they visit the Canaries of Norwich City. Even though this is an away game, some may [.

Liverpool head back out on the road, visiting the West Midlands in search of their second consecutive win in league. Success away from Anfield has been easier to come by, with Kenny Dalglish's squad winning more at opposition venues than they have at home. Alex McLeish's squad are level on points with Norwich City in ninth and have earned eleven of their nineteen points at Villa Park despite losing two of their last three.

Liverpool have taken more points off Aston Villa than any other team in the Premiership, 68 points to be exact. Villa have let in seven goals through opposition setpieces prior to their match against the mighty Reds. And so, it was inevitable that Liverpool would get three points against the toothless Villans and that the goals came from corners meant that Liverpool exploited Villa's weakness.

Liverpool's brief road swing continues (and wraps up) tomorrow night in Wigan, with the Reds looking to continue a bounce-back after the Fulham loss that's seen them win their last two fairly comfortably despite relatively narrow score lines. Wigan will be in a similar spot after getting points in four of their last five, including an away win at the Hawthorns after faltering badly at home to Arsenal, and, in their last outing, saving a late draw against Chelsea at the DW on Saturday.

In recent years, the January window's been relatively tame 2007 was maybe the most active, with Javier Mascherano and Alvaro Arbeloa among the names on the way in, and 2008 saw Martin Skrtel arrive with Momo Sissoko heading out. But 2009 brought only the exit for the recently arrived but underwhelming Robbie Keane, and 2010 had only Maxi Rodriguez arriving on a free with Andrea Dossena and Andriy Voronin leaving Anfield.

Liverpool huffed and puffed once more but came up against another excellent goalkeeping display. A feat that Mark Bunn probably will and could not repeat even if he tried. The journeyman goalkeeper showed far better reflexes than Paul Robinson have had this season to deny Andy Carroll a confidence-boosting goal.

There's no appeal or waiting period this time around, as Luis Suarez has pled guilty to improper conduct after showing Fulham fans the finger at the end of a frustrating match at Craven Cottage on the fifth of December. As a result, the striker will serve an immediate one match ban and has also been levied with a £20,000 fine.

No player named Lucas will be on the pitch for Liverpool by the end of January. Though by this time next year there could be two Lucases (Luci? Lucai?) regularly in the starting eleven. And maybe even one Luis Suarez, assuming the English FA doesn't manage to drive him and Liverpool Football Club into the Irish Sea like some unwanted nation state by then.

Andy, what do you think of Kuyt's new jeans? "Eh, they're alright i spose."...Newcastle make the trip to Anfield on Friday bringing with them Demba Ba, the man who has stepped up to fill the massive boots left by Andy Carroll. Unfortunately for Liverpool it's Demba Ba who can boast the greater goal tally but with Luis Suarez serving a ban for this match will Andy Carroll take his chance to put a sock in the critics mouths?

Liverpool welcome Newcastle to Anfield in 2011's final match, with both squads barely on the outside looking in at the European places. Tomorrow's guests rode a hot start to the season to the top three, going unbeaten in their first eleven matches and surprising everyone after expectations were low entering the campaign.

Love him or loathe him, there is still a question which has not been answered about Andy Carroll, a question which continues to split opinion amongst United fans to this day. Ahead of the imminent game against Liverpool at Anfield, it might be timely to examine this question one more time. The question when [.

Liverpool With one game still to play in 2011, Liverpool have dropped 19 points at home. That is 17 more than Manchester City and 14 more than Manchester United. The fortress formerly known as Anfield truly is no longer. Liverpool have been incredibly wasteful this season in front of goal, and on Friday night take [.

Liverpool With one game still to play in 2011, Liverpool have dropped 19 points at home. That is 17 more than Manchester City and 14 more than Manchester United. The fortress formerly known as Anfield truly is no longer. Liverpool have been incredibly wasteful this season in front of goal, and on Friday night take [.

Luis Suarez is suspended as Liverpool take on Newcastle at Anfield today. Andy Carroll is the man with the massive spotlight on him, and at 9.1M and owned by just 2% of fantasy managers, is a 'funny feeling' contender in ... Continue reading →

Venue: Anfield Stadium, Liverpool. Date: Friday, 30th January, 2011. Kick-Off: 7:45pm. Referee: Lee Probert. Hello, good evening and welcome to our regular match banter for this evening's game, which sees the Magpies travelling to Anfield once again to meet Liverpool in a battle for sixth place. For a more in depth look forward to the [.

Liverpool 3 Bellamy 29′, Bellamy 67′, Gerrard 78′
Newcastle 0 Agger (og) 25′

The first Friday night league game in England in over twenty years hardly started well for Liverpool, following the pattern set by matches against Blackburn, Wigan, and Fulham in recent weeks.