Dress Rehersal

Liverpool take on West Ham United at Upton Park in the Premiership will take on an extra meaning as it's the dress rehersal for the FA Cup Final (being playing just 17 days later).

As was expected there have been many changes to the Liverpool starting line-up, with Robbie Fowler returning after missing the Chav$ki game (due to being cup-tied) with Cisse (Right-Midlfield) and Nando starting the game. Also, not surprising, Dudek has started in goal with Rafa keeping his promise of giving the pole some time in goal before the end of the season to better his chances of making the Polish World Cup squad.

FA Cup heroes: Hyypia, Riise, Garcia and Alsono start the game on the bench with Pepe Reina, which means that Hamann has returned to the center of midfield along side Sissoko. The is no place for Gerrard at all in the team, who has been completely rested by Benitez. there is also no place for Crouch in the squad.

An insult to West Ham? Not really, just a sign that Liverpool have a much larger strong-squad than the Hammers, much like Chav$ki have over us.

It affords Liverpool the chance to really look over West Ham in preperation for the upcoming final, while giving little away to the Hammers, with a least 5 player changes expected between this game and that.

Alan Pardew, however, may be playing things smarter, since a win will do little for his team vis-a-vis the Premiership. The Hammers are well clear of relugation and already have UEFA qualification in the bag*. Pardew has rested three of his main players: Shaka Hislop, Carl Fletcher and Marlon Harewood.

Hidding the abilities, as much as possible, of Shaka Hislop and the dangerous Marlon Harewood is well played by the Hammer's boss, although he may want to use Marlon later on in the game, so he can size himslef up against the Liverpool defense.

Min 2: An early shot by Bobby Zamora centre of penalty area, well blocked by Jamie Carragher.
Min 8: A shot by Djibril Cisse left side of penalty area, but it's blocked by childhood LFC fan James Collins. A corner results and an outswinging corner from right by Dietmar Hamann to the near post is cleared by Nigel Reo-Coker.
Min 10: Shot by Cisse from left channel, but it's parried by the Hammer's goalkeeper.
Min 12: Another outswinging corner from Hamann to near post is headed goalbound Cisse from right side of penalty area, but it goes over the bar.
Min 19: GOAL! Djibril Cisse drills a right-footed shot from left channel into the bottom-left of the Hammer's goal. West Ham 0-1 Liverpool. Mohamed Sissoko made the assist from left channel.
Min 23: A shot by Reo-Coker from 25yards out is blocked by Carragher.
Min 30: A strike by Robbie Fowler on hes right-foot goes wide.
Min 35: Yet another shot on goal from Cisse, but it is caught by the keeper
Min 40: Jersey Dudek saves a shot (taken 18 yards out) by Bobby Zamora.
Min 44: A cross by Anton Ferdinand, leads to a header by Teddy Sheringham from centre of penalty area, but is goes wide. Another cross by Zamora, is met this time by the head of Yossi Benayoun, who heads it over the bar from 6 yards out. West Ham are going all out trying to go into the break on level terms.
Min 46: The second half resumes, and Fletcher is finally introduced for James Collins
Min 46: Nigel Reo-Coker scores for West Ham to level the game for the Londoners.
Min 48: Right-footed volley from Fernando Morientes from centre of penalty area but it just hits the bar.
Min 54: Goal! by A second for Liverpool and a second for the frenchman, Djibril Cisse, whose right-footed shot from the centre of penalty area fires into the low centre of goal. Robbie Fowler assisted with a pass from his own half. - You've got to wonder if Rafa didn't have a few words with Cisse after his lacklustre performance against Chav$ki on Saturday, he's one off from a hat-trick!
Min 62: Yet another shot by Cisse, taken this time on his left footfrom left side of penalty area, sadly it goes wide.
Min 63: Steve Finnan is replaced by Sami Hyypia. Not sure who will move into the right full-back position? Carragher or Kromkamp?
Min 65: So far a pretty clean game, with 11 fouls (8 by West Ham), but no cautions.
Min 67: Dudek parryies Matthew Etherington';s shot from the left side of the penalty area.
Min 68: Hamann takes a crack at goal from 25 yeards out, but the ball goes wide.
Min 69: So far Cisse seems to be the star with 7 attempts on goal (4 on target) to go along with the two goals he's scored. Any chance Rafa will pair him with Fowler up front and bring on Garcia for Nando?
Min 69: A cross by Benayoun is blocked by Djimi Traore. The resultant inswinging corner from Matthew Etherington to near post, is cleared by Carragher.
Min 70: A foul by Jan Kromkamp Carl Fletcher leads to a free kick which Yossi Benayoun takes.The shot is punched clear by Dudek.
Min 77: As expected, Marlon Harewood makes a late apperance coming on for Benayoun.
Min 80: Luis Garcia comes of for Robbie Fowler - will the Toxteth Terror ever be allowed to finish a game under Benitiez? At least Cisse can return to the front and leave the right-side of midfield to the flambouant Spaniard.
Min 82: Drama now as both Garcia (who's only be on the pitch for 2 minutes) and West Hams's Hayden Mullins are red carded for violent conduct following a foul by Garcia on Mullins.
Min 84: A couple of shots from Cisse result in a save and a miss.
Min 88: A volleyed shot from Sissoko from 30 yeards out is caught by West Ham's James Walker.
Min 88: The straight red for both Garcia and Mullins will mean both will miss the rest of the season.
Min 90: Into extra time now.
Min 90+3: It finishes 2-1 to Liverpool with not too much learned vis-a-vis the final, but the defence have at least had a taste of danger man Marlon Harewood. Liverpool move to within 3 points of Man Sum (albeit with an extra game played). Cisse had a good game scoring 2 from 9 attempts (5 of which were on target), but ironically will most likely end the season playing on the right of midfield after the sending off of Garcia robs the Reds of a right-sided midfielder. One wonders how Garcia and Mullins will react with each other should they both be selected for the FA Cup Final.

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Meanwhile Barca and AC Milan will fight it out at the Nou Camp to see how will face Arsenal in Paris. Barca have a 1-0 lead in the Semi-Final from the the first leg.

Half-Time: The Italians and Spaniards are goaless in the the first half, while has been largely entertaining. The home side have been largely on top and Eto'o was foiled twice by Dida in the early stages, although Milan have shown glimpses of their threat with Inzaghi and Shevchenko both enjoying sights of goal. That is not good enough for the AC Milan, who have to score in the second period to stay in the competition.
66 Mins: The teams are still goaless although a total of 20 shots have been taken (6 of those have been on goal from Barcelona).
80 mins: Just 20 minutes left of regular time and still no goals, a result like Arsenal's last night will do Barcelona fine, even though their activities is the polar opposite to what the London side produced.
81 Mins: AC Milan are running out of time and options as they bring Gilardino on for Inzaghi.
Full-Time: A goaless draw sees Barcalona head to Paris to take on Arsenal.