A magical night in headlines

THE INDEPENDENT

"The camera swept across a row of middle-aged men in the directors' box - Ian Rush, Alan Hansen, Phil Thompson and Jan Molby. It says something for the cold, almost arrogant way they surveyed English football that the footballers around whom Kenny Dalglish built his Liverpool used to refer to Wembley as "Anfield South". Dalglish won his first trophy outside Scotland, the 1978 European Cup final, beneath its towers and 11 years later he steered the club through its greatest trauma to win what became known as the Hillsborough Final. Steven Gerrard has long been Dalglish's natural successor, not in terms of how he plays but in what he represents and how he inspires and yet it says something for Liverpool's relative decline that next month's final against Cardiff City will be his first taste of the rebuilt Empire Stadium in a Liverpool shirt." (Tim Rich)

DAILY MIRROR

"Given his, shall we say spirited, nature, it was fitting that Craig Bellamy stuck two spectacular fingers up to Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini. The fiery Liverpool striker did it figuratively, of course, scoring the crucial goal that took his side to their first Wembley final in 16 years, and proving in the process that sometimes even supreme wealth is no match for supreme heart. Amid the tumult of another, magnificent, Anfield cup carnival, Bellamy showed he certainly has that. Stung, perhaps, by the fact he was cast away almost dismissively from Eastlands on a free transfer, he haunted his old club with a performance that scared them into submission. All of the frustration, all of the anger and venom he endured when suffering the ultimate ignominy of being forced to train with City's reserves was channelled into the match of his life as he orchestrated a crashing crescendo to this captivating Carling Cup tie. When the drama was over and the awesome Kop had finally drawn breath, they could reflect on a scintillating match that lived on a knife-edge throughout as one team then the other put a foot in the final." (David Maddock)

THE TIMES

 "There have been bigger occasions at Anfield, with more glamorous prizes at stake, yet few have been more cathartic than last night. Kenny Dalglish was visibly emotional at the final whistle. Liverpool are competing for trophies once more. It is a remarkable feat." (Tony Evans)

DAILY EXPRESS

"Kenny Dalglish's side now stand a potential 90 minutes away from the club's first silverware in six years - and it owed everything to the resolve, determination and application that he had so publicly questioned last weekend. Steven Gerrard will indeed face cousin Anthony Gerrard at Wembley on February 26, although of all the sub-plots the Carling Cup final conjures, the one that pits Craig Bellamy against his beloved Cardiff City, the side he played for last term, is by far the most romantic. It was fitting that Bellamy wrestled a see-saw encounter that was heading towards extra-time back in Liverpool's favour, swapping passes with Glen Johnson and steering an accomplished finish beyond Joe Hart with 16 minutes remaining, to haunt his former City teammates. For once a home draw in front of the Kop this term left the hosts elated rather than deflated and a first trip to Wembley since 1996 is theirs to cherish today." (Paul Joyce)

THE GUARDIAN

"Liverpool have booked their first trip to Wembley since 1996 and, after waiting so long, they will be eager to see how the old place has changed. Kenny Dalglish's team deserve their place in the final because over both legs they played with the greater urgency and determination, culminating in Craig Bellamy's decisive goal against his former club and a nostalgic form of jubilation at the final whistle. For Bellamy it was an evening he will cherish, given the way his time at City ended so acrimoniously. He will have relished making his point to Roberto Mancini, the manager who marginalised and sold him, and the reward is considerable, with a final on 26 February against the Cardiff City team where he decamped last season. For Liverpool, though, the story goes much further. Sixty different teams have visited Wembley since it was reopened in 2007 and, for a club with Liverpool's past, it has been longer than they would care to remember since they last ventured south for what was once a near-annual excursion. They will be the clear favourites to beat the Championship's third-placed team and win their first trophy of Dalglish's second spell in charge." (Daniel Taylor)

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

"So dust down those ice-cream vendor suits and dig out those garish stripey ties, Liverpool are back at Wembley for the first time since that sartorially challenged 1996 FA Cup final trip. When Phil Dowd called this epic contest to a close, a roar of almost visceral intensity rose from the Kop. Liverpool fans screamed euphorically, twirling their red scarves above their heads and starting planning their southern invasion. They have been to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, winning finals there while the Twin Towers became a single arch, but Wembley has always figured strongly in Liverpool reverie. Willed on by their fans, Liverpool extended their record of unbeaten semi-finals here to 28 (their last reverse coming against Leeds United in the 1971 Fairs Cup). For once this season, Anfield was overjoyed at a home draw. As the supporters celebrated, Kenny Dalglish held his arms aloft in that familiar manner from his prolific scoring days here. He had challenged his players to perform and they responded." (Henry Winter)

THE ECHO

"Bellamy faced a tough assignment up against Roberto Mancini's three centre-backs but he has never been one to shirk a challenge. Spotting a glaring weakness in Stefan Savic, he wreaked havoc. Time and time again he chased down lost causes and forced Savic to cough up possession. The young Montenegrin defender's misery was only ended when Mancini took him off at the break. Dalglish had vowed to be positive despite the Reds' 1-0 lead from the first leg and he was true to his word. There was an energy in the crowd which transmitted to the pitch as the Reds played with the kind of tempo, intensity and purpose which was sadly lacking at Bolton." (James Pearce)

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.