Stewart Downing believes he is heading into Sunday's Carling Cup final on the back of one of his best performances in a Liverpool shirt.

The England winger impressed as the Reds beat Brighton 6-1 at Anfield last weekend, claiming an assist for Andy Carroll's goal.

Now Downing is hoping to get the nod from Kenny Dalglish at Wembley so he can attempt to produce a similar energetic display against Cardiff.

"The Brighton game was what we needed - a good performance going into the final," he said.

"It was one of my most satisfying performances of the season. I was fully involved and enjoyed it. It was in the back of my mind that there was a final coming up but not only that, it was also about personal pride. You want to play well in front of your home fans and give them something to shout about.

"I was pleased with how it went and hopefully now I'll play some part in the final. I came here to play in finals.

"We're in one and we've got a good chance of getting to another one if we beat Stoke in the FA Cup. It must be a headache for the manager to pick his team but the pleasing thing is we're playing well."

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Downing has made 30 appearances for Liverpool following his summer transfer from Aston Villa.

The 27-year-old acknowledges the strong competition for places within the Reds squad is something he's not been used to at previous clubs, but knows hard work is the key to catching the eye of Dalglish.

"It's been a bit up and down for me this season," he said. "I've been on the bench at times while at other clubs I've been used to playing every week. That has taken a bit of getting used to. It's been a little bit of a culture shock.

"The easiest thing to do is to spit the dummy out and point at everything around you but you have to get your head down. If you work hard good things come.

"You have to keep training well. If you don't train well then you won't get picked - that's something Kenny (Dalglish) has stressed from day one.

"You just have to be ready when you're called upon. Every time I play I need to do well and give the manager the confidence to keep playing me. There's a lot more pressure here. You are under the microscope every day. But that's Liverpool - that's why you want to be here. You have got to blank all that out.

"I wanted to come to the club because it's challenging every week. It pushes you on as a player."

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