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Liverpool's Carling Cup triumph must be consigned to the trophy cabinet as the players prepare to "sacrifice" themselves for the club again, manager Kenny Dalglish said.

A first piece of silverware in six years was secured at Wembley after a physically draining Carling Cup penalty shoot-out win over Cardiff.

But the players barely had chance to celebrate as they raced off to join their international teams for the various midweek friendlies taking place around the world. When they returned to the club's Melwood training ground on Thursday it was made clear to the squad the time for enjoying that victory had passed.

With fourth-placed Arsenal visiting Anfield on Saturday, Dalglish wants his players switched on and fully focused on a match which could have a significant bearing on their aspirations for Champions League qualification.

"What happened last Sunday I think they fully deserved it - on the day and in their performances in the competition," said the Scot. "The boys have been away for international matches but I am sure they have enjoyed the success they have had and they will put it behind them and get themselves focused for the match on Saturday, which will be really difficult.

"We don't want to sound as if they shouldn't have enjoyed themselves - I hope they have because we have - but we've had the enjoyment and now it is back to work.

"We know the hard work which was involved in getting to Wembley. The players were prepared to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the club and we just need more of that.

"We will now go for whatever we can in every game. It is nice to be in the Europa League but it is even nicer if we can progress and build on what we did last Sunday.

"I am sure it has whetted their appetite. Our season is not finished because we won the Carling Cup."

Dalglish is awaiting an update on captain Steven Gerrard's fitness. The midfielder injured a hamstring in England's friendly defeat against Holland on Wednesday while defender Glen Johnson is expected to be fit after pulling out of the national squad on Monday as a precaution.

Centre-back Daniel Agger is likely to miss the next couple of weeks with a cracked rib, meaning Jamie Carragher is likely to get a recall. Arsenal could put further distance between themselves and Liverpool with victory as well as close up on Spurs, who host Manchester United on Sunday.

Despite not having lost at home in the league, the Reds have drawn eight times.

Manager Arsene Wenger said: "You never go to Liverpool and think you have an easy game in front of you. Let's not forget Liverpool won 18 championships so of course that is still in the history and the minds of every single person in England.

"But things have levelled out now and everybody can take points everywhere. You see that with the results in the Premier League.

"Every point we can take now is vital until the end of the season."

Arsenal have injury concerns over captain Robin van Persie (groin) and centre-back Thomas Vermaelen (ankle).

Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey (ankle) has already been ruled out while Czech winger Tomas Rosicky (groin) faces a fitness test. Abou Diaby returns from a long absence after a hamstring problem.

Defender Francis Coquelin (hamstring) remains sidelined, along with centre-back Per Mertesacker (ankle) and Brazil full-back Andre Santos (ankle) is two weeks away from returning to training.

Darron Gibson fired holders Manchester United through to the last four of the English League Cup on Tuesday with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford that ended Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes of a third successive final. United, who beat Spurs on penalties in last season’s Wembley final, were joined in the semi-finals by Aston Villa after the five-time winners beat Premier League stragglers Portsmouth 4-2 at Fratton Park.

Big-spending Manchester City welcomed Arsenal while league leaders Chelsea travelled to Blackburn Rovers for yesterday’s quarter-finals.

With the rain sweeping down, young Irish midfielder Gibson opened the scoring for United against the run of play in the 16th minute and doubled his tally 22 minutes later with a powerful shot to the top corner from 18 metres.

The scoreline flattered United’s youthful-looking team, however, with Tottenham playing the better football for much of the first half as they sought their first win at Old Trafford in 20 years.

“We’ve scored against the run of play, Tottenham were I thought dominating the first 30 minutes of the match anyway,” United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports television. “They could have been in front by two or three opportunities.

“The second half, in fairness, we were much better. We are two games away from Wembley, so that’s good…we will enjoy the semi-final and these lads will play again.”

Jermain Defoe tested United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak in the seventh minute and had a great chance in the 21st when he found space at the back post only to be denied by the rock-steady Nemanja Vidic in defence.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was stunned by his side’s lack of passion.

“We were never going to get a better opportunity than we had tonight,” he said. “The first half really, they (United) had two shots on goal and scored twice. There was no atmosphere, it was like a practice match.

“It was played at a lethargic pace, we didn’t make a tackle in the first half. I’ve never been to Old Trafford and sensed there was no atmosphere. The thing never really got going, there was nothing happening.”

Villa made a woeful start at Portsmouth, going behind in the 10th minute when Stilian Petrov tried to clear at the near post but sliced the ball into his own net.

Portsmouth, who lost 4-1 to United at the weekend, had little time to enjoy their lead with Emile Heskey equalising two minutes later. Villa made it 2-1 in the 27th through James Milner and went 3-1 ahead in the 74th when England winger Stewart Downing headed in at the far post to score on his first start for the club.

Kanu pulled a goal back with a low shot in the 87th but Ashley Young restored Villa’s lead two minutes later with a deflected shot high into the net.

“It was the sort of start that we didn’t want,” said Villa manager Martin O’Neill.

"We were hoping that we could come out strongly and conceding an early goal was not part of the plan. But, if anything, it got us going.”

Blackburn had keeper Paul Robinson to thank for two penalty saves that sent them into the Carling Cup semi-finals at Chelsea's expense. Youngster Gael Kakuta was the unfortunate Chelsea player who's penalty miss finally gifted Blackburn the victory.

In normal time, Blackburn had taken an early lead through Kalinic but Chelsea hit back after the break, with quick-fire goals from Drogba and Salomon Kalou, before Emerton's cross deceived keeper Henrique Hilario.

Carlo Ancelotti went from hero to zero as his gamble to use all three substitutes at half-time first suceeded, then backfired. The Italian's changes made an instant impact as they came back from a goal down to lead 2-1, but a late injury in normal time to Soloman Kalou left the Blues with ten men, handing the momentum to Blackburn. Which they duly took, as Benni McCarthy thought he had won it in extra time from the penalty spot, but Chelsea incredibly struck level in the 120th minute to take the game to penalties through Paulo Ferreira.

Chelsea made the expected wholesale changes for this quarter-final, taking perhaps too much of a risk by resting seven players from the side that won at Arsenal on Saturday.

Ancelotti, who rested seven top players including John Terry and Frank Lampard, said: "We had priorities this week with league games against Arsenal and Chelsea. I felt we fielded a strong team. But in the first half they did not play well. That is why I used all three substitutes, it is not something I usually do.

"Then we were unlucky to have Salomon Kalou injured in the second half, and that meant we were left with 10 men. It was just unfortunate, but we still played well with 10 against 11.

"As for using Kakuta for that last penalty, it was my decision. I have seen him take good penalties during training, and I felt he could handle it.''

Blackburn assistant boss Neil McDonald, standing in for Sam Allardyce following the Ewood Park manager's heart surgery, was critical of Ancelotti's decisions.

He said: "I hope they regret making so many changes and not fielding a stronger team. Maybe they should have looked at our home record and realised that we are a decent side here.

"They should have played a stronger side. But I have to praise Paul Robinson for his shoot-out save after making a mistake to give them their equaliser.

"I have spoken to Sam and he is very pleased. He just told us to enjoy the moment and to get ourselves ready for Liverpool on Saturday.''

Manchester City reached their first cup semi-final since 1981 and maintained the dream of ending their 33-year trophy drought by beating Arsenal 3-0 at Eastlands. Carlos Tevez, man-of-the-match Shaun Wright-Phillips and youngster Vladimir Weiss did the damage, sending the Blues over the moon and into Carling Cup orbit, with genuine hopes of emulating their Wembley triumph in this competition under Tony Book in 1976.

Manchester City included former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, while Craig Bellamy came in for Robinho and Gareth Barry returned in placr of Nigel de Jong. Arsenal unsurprisingly field a youthful team, which included six players twenty years old or below, but had Tomas Rosicky, Emmanuel Eboue and Mikael Silvestre providing the experience.

It was the home side who had the first attempt at goal just five minutes in. A Gareth Barry corner was swung into the penalty box and with Arsenal lacking in height Emmanuel Adebayor rose highest, but his header was well held by Lukasz Fabianski in the Arsenal goal.

City continued to boss the game and Craig Bellamy missed a glorious opportunity to put the in front. Shaun Wright-Phillips hassled Silvestre out on the ball on the corner of the box and picked out Bellamy with yards of space just inside the box. Unfortunately the Welshman could only drag his shot wide of the left-hand post from 12 yards out.

Arsenal then threatened themselves for the first real time in the game. Jack Wilshere played a cracking pass with the outside of his foot into the path of Carlos Vela and, under pressure from Joleon Lescott, the Mexican striker could only put a left-foot drive over Shay Given's bar. Minutes later Carlos Tevez forced another good save out of Fabianski with a fierce shot at the near post.

Things started to heat-up before half-time, with City still pressing Armond Traoure brings down Wright-Phillips on the right flank and is booked. He is quickly followed into the book by Craig Eastmond who’s shown a yellow for unsporting behaviour. Arsene Wenger and Mark Hughes who have cross swords in the past also started to have some disagreements in their technical areas, but the two sides went into the break goalless.

Five minutes into the second half and Man City took the lead. Tomas Rosicky was robbed of possession by the touchline and Carlos Tevez picked up the ball, powered into the box, and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner, giving Fabianksi no chance.

Arsenal responded to the goal well and tested the City defence when Aaron Ramsey was put through by Carlos Vela. But Ramsey blasted his shot high an wide. Up the other end Bellamy fired a ball across the box with Adebayor waiting, but Fabianski did enough to put the striker off and his touch went over.

Arsenal seemed to be pressing to get back into the game, but with twenty-two minutes remaining Man City all but sealed their semi-final place. Shaun Wright-Phillips drifted in off the right.

Wenger said: "The League Cup is a competition that is not one of our priorities, but we go to Manchester City to win a game. We'll play our young players and some of them will play in the Champions League as well because we are already qualified.

“But losing to Chelsea was a massive disappointment. We have to deal with it and respond by trying to win our next game. It is as simple as that”.

Wenger's comments were echoed by Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky. "It will be very tough to win the title now, we know that, but to let the season fall apart now would be the biggest mistake we can make."