Liverpool FC: The Reds' Top 5 Performers in League Cup Win over Manchester City

Liverpool took one big step towards the League Cup final and their first visit to the new Wembley with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. A real team performance was the order of the day for the Reds, who had several stand-out performers who we look at here.

While the Reds dominated the early stages of the game and took a deserved lead through Steven Gerrard's penalty, it was more a case of defence first in the second half, as they produced a resilient display to keep out a Man City side who had put three goals past the Reds just eight days previously.

Kenny Dalglish recalled Martin Kelly, Jordan Henderson and Andy Carroll to the starting lineup, while Steven Gerrard made his second successive start following his long injury layoff.

The Reds started the best and drew top-drawer saves from City 'keeper Joe Hart from Carroll twice and Gerrard before Daniel Agger was brought down in the box, resulting in Gerrard scoring the only goal of the game.

Read on to see the Reds' top five performers on the night of the first leg.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard netted his fourth goal of the season and his second penalty in successive matches, but it was his all-round first-half attacking performance and second-half willingness to do the defensive work for his team which made him a stand-out performer.

Gerrard excelled with runs from deep and quick passing, as Liverpool started the match well and was unlucky to see Joe Hart palm his effort from distance wide of the post.

When it became a backs-to-the-wall job in the second 45, Gerrard led by example, closing down City's midfielders around the 35-yard line and working hard for his team.

The Reds' No. 8 is still working his way back to full fitness, but two 90 minutes in a row will do him the world of good.

Seven games in a row on the substitutes' bench and then back in the starting 11 for the last two, Martin Kelly hardly looked out of place against Manchester City despite not having a lot of first-team action recently.

Kelly had one severely anxious moment when he played a back-pass without looking, almost letting in Sergio Aguero, but his 'keeper, Pepe Reina, bailed him out on that occasion.

Aside from that instant, Kelly was strong in defence and reliable in keeping a succession of left-sided players at bay.

He also switched to a more central role late on as Kenny Dalglish looked to beef up his side's defensive solidity.

Quite simply, Daniel Agger had a marvelous game for Liverpool against Manchester City.

The Dane has had a good all-around season, combining excellent performances with a much-overdue sustained run in the first team.

Against City, he was strong in the challenge, kept the defence organised, brought the ball out of the back line and even won a match-winning penalty with a great piece of skill and awareness.

With Agger in the side, Liverpool are better. It is that simple with the Reds' No. 5.

Having him in the team for the second leg takes Liverpool another piece down the road towards the final at Wembley.

Considering he was beaten three times a little over a week ago by the same team, Pepe Reina had a relatively quiet game in the League Cup semifinal against Manchester City.

Having said that, the Spanish keeper did have to intervene three or four times to make sharp saves, keeping his side ahead in the process.

A good save from Samir Nasri's bouncing effort in the first half and a superb stop from a Micah Richards' downward header in the second were topped by Reina's one-on-one victory against Kun Aguero, who tried to take the ball around the keeper before scoring.

Good distribution at key moments are pretty much expected of Reina these days, but his ball out to Jordan Henderson in the second half was still pretty special.

Glen Johnson didn't have his best game in a Liverpool shirt and was briefly caught up in controversy with a challenge near the end of the game, but his selflessness and willingness to do what was best for the team was entirely commendable.

Starting out on the left side of defence to combat the threat of Adam Johnson cutting in on his left foot, Johnson was solid in defence and helped to break up the play on several occasions.

Later on, he moved to a central role, where, though he did attempt to fit in and still made a couple of telling interceptions and tackles, he admittedly looked a little out of place.

Finally, Johnson played out the game at his more regular role of right-back.

A big part of Liverpool's defence which kept out City, he deserves recognition for his performance.