Manchester City 0 - 1 Liverpool, Gerrard and Mancini clashed after the match

Steven Gerrard scores the penalty

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard again proved his importance after his recovery from the injury, scoring the only goal as the Reds beat Manchester City in their first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final.

After 13 minutes, Manchester City's Stefan Savic fouled Liverpool's Daniel Agger to give away the penalty from which Steven Gerrard gave the visitors a 1-0 lead. The captain kicked low, firm and straight into the bottom left corner. Keeper Hoe Hart went the right way but his hand missed the ball by a foot.

Man City had kept the  possession in the second half and struggled to create chances but the Reds deserved their lead, threatened more goals and then eventually settled back at strong defence.

This was the second defeat suffered by Barclays Premier League leaders City, following their FA Cup loss against local rivals United at the weekend. The Return leg will be played at Anfield on 25 January.

After the match, City's manager Roberto Mancini argued that Glen Johnson should have been sent off for an unfair tackle in the closing moments of the Carling Cup semi-final.

“The Johnson tackle, it was worse than the one Vinny did against United,” Mancini said.

Gerrard accused the City manager of double standards, for demanding a red card for Johnson having condemned Wayne Rooney for doing likewise before Vincent Kompany was sent off in the FA Cup defeat by Manchester United on Sunday.

“I’m surprised at Mancini,” Gerrard said.

“He had a go at Wayne Rooney trying to get one of his players sent off at the weekend, and now he is trying to get one of our players into trouble – I don’t think that’s right.”