NO-ONE will be getting measured up for a suit just yet but best keep Sunday, February 26 free in the diary.

Liverpool took a huge step towards ending their 16-year exile from Wembley with a gutsy victory at the Etihad Stadium last night.

It wasn’t pretty as Kenny Dalglish’s men desperately clung on to a lead given to them by Steven Gerrard’s early penalty.

But it was a performance bubbling with character as a heroic defensive effort snuffed out the threat of the Premier League leaders.

This is Liverpool’s 14th League Cup semi-final and they have never lost at home at this stage of the competition.

If that record is maintained at Anfield on January 25 then a final showdown against either Cardiff City or Crystal Palace awaits.

There was a time when Wembley was like a second home for the Reds but since the twin towers were demolished they haven’t been back.

That frustration coupled with a painful six-year trophy drought explains the Reds’ burning desire to lift the Carling Cup this season.

With no European football on the agenda, this competition matters more than ever. That was evident at Exeter, Brighton, Stoke and Chelsea. And it was evident once again last night. Liverpool simply wanted it more.

A first trophy to mark Dalglish’s first full season back at the helm would be hugely symbolic. Success breeds success and silverware would represent a major statement of intent that Liverpool are once again a force to be reckoned with.

Dalglish has won every domestic honour as a manager except for the League Cup and he’s now in the perfect position to complete the set.

The Reds boss had urged his players to learn the lessons of their 3-0 league defeat at the hands of City eight days earlier and the warning was heeded.

Quality may have been thin on the ground at times but as a tactical battle it was intriguing.

The inclusion of Gerrard and Craig Bellamy in place of Charlie Adam and Dirk Kuyt ensured there was more menace to the Reds than on their previous visit. The duo provided a welcome injection of pace, power and energy.

Interestingly, there was no place for Jose Enrique with Martin Kelly starting at right-back and Glen Johnson switched to the left to combat Adam Johnson.

Liverpool tore into City from the start and the only surprise was that they had to wait 13 minutes to break the deadlock.

Andy Carroll should have put them in front early on when he latched on to Stewart Downing’s pass and outmuscled Stefan Savic but his scuffed shot was well kept out by Joe Hart.

The England goalkeeper’s heroics denied the Reds maximum points in the league clash at Anfield back in November and once again he showcased his talents.

Gerrard’s curling 25-yarder was tipped past the post and then he reacted smartly after Downing’s volley was deflected goalwards by Daniel Agger.

But from the resulting corner, Liverpool were handed the gift their incessant pressure deserved.

Agger was carelessly chopped down by Savic and Gerrard emphatically drilled the spot-kick past Hart.

It was the skipper’s third goal in five appearances following his return to action after two months out with an ankle injury.

With Downing and Bellamy impressing down the flanks and Jordan Henderson working tirelessly behind Carroll, the Reds maintained a firm stranglehold on proceedings.

Gerrard and Jay Spearing had stamped their authority in midfield to help ensure City strike duo Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero were starved of service.

Frustratingly, that axis was broken up midway through the half when Spearing pulled up lame.

Having started the game so brightly, Spearing cut a sorry sight as he limped off and was replaced by Adam.

City sorely missed the creativity of David Silva, the presence of Yaya Toure and the leadership of skipper Vincent Kompany at the back. With Kolo Toure away with his brother on African Cup of Nations duty, Roberto Mancini had been forced to turn to Savic.

The young Montenegrin centre-back was a bag of nerves and a glaring chink in City’s armour.

Carroll could have doubled the Reds’ account when he climbed to meet Kelly’s cross but powered his header narrowly wide.

As the game wore on Liverpool sat back, happy to merely contain City and then hit them on the counter-attack.

The plan worked a treat and a frustrated Mancini took action as he hauled off the ineffective Balotelli and brought on Samir Nasri.

Pepe Reina had been largely a spectator but he was belatedly called into action just before the break as he parried away Nasri’s low strike

City had a golden opportunity to equalise when Micah Richards powered his way past Johnson and picked out James Milner in the box but he ballooned his shot over the bar.

The thousands of empty seats meant this was hardly an intimidating cauldron but spurred on by Mancini the hosts did improve in the second half.

Kelly’s sloppy back pass presented Aguero with a clear run on goal but Reina raced off his line to close him down and City’s 17-goal top scorer failed to hit the target.

Reina’s blunder may have helped City on their way to three points at the Etihad last week but this time the Spaniard was back to his imperious best.

When Richards rose to nod Nasri’s corner goalwards, the City fans were already off their seats celebrating but Reina reacted smartly to keep the Reds’ lead intact.

Fearful of the ever increasing amount of space Nasri was enjoying, Dalglish took action as he brought on Enrique for Downing and went to five at the back.

Glen Johnson briefly found himself playing as a third centre-back before Kelly moved across. Mancini went for broke by throwing on Edin Dzeko, Dalglish responded by introducing Jamie Carragher for Bellamy.

With six defenders on the pitch, Liverpool struggled to get out of their own half.

It was a dangerous game plan but the philosophy was clear ‘thou shall not pass’. Bodies were put on the line and the commitment was total.

Johnson and Martin Skrtel both produced perfectly timed challenges to deny Aguero before the striker nodded a late chance over.

It’s only half-time but Liverpool have taken a giant leap towards a final flourish.

Manchester City: Hart, Richards, Savic, Lescott, Clichy, Johnson (Dzeko 66), Barry, De Jong (Kolarov 72), Milner, Balotelli (Nasri 39), Aguero.

Not used: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Onouha, Hargreaves.

Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Spearing (Adam 23), Gerrard, Downing (Enrique 60), Henderson, Bellamy (Carragher 80), Carroll.

Not used: Coates, Kuyt, Doni, Shelvey.

Referee: Lee Mason

Attendance: 36,017

Goals: Gerrard 13 pen.

Bookings: Carragher, Nasri.

Man of the match: MARTIN SKRTEL. The centre-back capped his 150th appearance for the Reds in style with a dominant display.