Liverpool – Portsmouth

It's a fixture that conjeurs up memories of Darren Anderton in the blue of Portsmouth - join us from 16.05 for live commentary

Portsmouth are without the injured Teddy Sheringham and Patrick Berger. LuaLua is also missing due to being cup-tied. Smertin returns to the line up after not being allowed to play against his employers, Chelsea, in midweek

Michael Owen made a welcome return to the scoresheet for the home side last week and Steven Gerrard plays despite being left out of the England squad to face Portugal due to the expected birth of his first child in the week

A welcome respite for both sides and sets of fans from their very different troubles in the Premiership. Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals earlier today and Liverpool are favourites to join them. But backed by a sizeable and vocal away following, Portsmouth will be looking to win away from Fratton Park for the first time this season in either of the two main domestic competitions

Liverpool to attack the Kop end first

Liverpool kick off and attack down the right with Gerrard. ball in aimed for Cheyrou is well cleared

Gerrard surges down the the middle and plays a sideways pass to Cheyrou and continues his run. First touch pass back into his path and another first time lay off finds Owen clear on goal by the penalty spot. he makes no mistake firing low to the keepers left. Cracking goal, 1-0 Liverpool

Free kick for Liverpool mid way in the Pompey half on the left. gerrard sends an inswinger into the box that runs through to Hislop

Pompey enter the Liverpool half for virtually the first time with Mornar. gets into the box and cuts a ball back from the right. No one wants to take responsibility though and Berkovic leaves it to Yakubu whose effort is weak and off target

Mornar and Hyypia wrestle on the half way line. The Finn comes out on top despite being fouled. referee plays the advantage

Gerrard, who has made a blistering start to the game, wriggles through a couple of challenges on the edge of the Pompey box but is denied a shooting opportunity by Primus

Berkovic corner short to Smertin. receives the ball back and plays a long square ball into the path of Quashie. Begging to be struck he drags the shot wide to the left

Liverpool retain possession well across the back looking for a route forward

Weak pass from Cheyrou gives the ball away and Berkovic breaks deep into Liverpool territory. Dwells on the ball though and allows Heskey to get back and tackle him

Decent free kick from Kewell lands in the Pompey six yard box. Pasanen clears at the second attempt under pressure from Cheyrou

Ball over the top for Yakubu to chase into the box. Good shout from Dudek sees Hyypia leave the ball and the keeper collect

Berkovic nicks the ball off Heskey's toes in the centre circle. Sees Mornar breaking forward into space and plays it into his path but the striker made his run too soon and is well off side

Ball out from Mornar finds Berkovic in space just inside the liverpool box on the left. Shapes to shoot then plays a cross instead to Yakubu in the 'D'. Chests it back to Quashie whos shot is still rising as it sails over the bar

Henchoz has to be strong to win his duel with Yakubu before Hyypia clears

Inviting cross from Kewell bounces across the face of goal in the six-yard box but no attacker can get a touch

Owen receives the ball on the edge of the box. The ball is Bobbling and, on the half volley, he can't keep his shot down

Gerrard plays another trademark raking ball across the pitch to Kewell on the left. He gets a head of steam up and powers into the box past a couple of stationary defenders. His cross, however, is blocked

Heskey's turn to swing in a cross, this time from the right, but Pasanen clears

Plenty of space on the pitch as Mornar makes up ground on the left and reaches the byline. Low contre to the near post is aimed for Yakubu but Henchoz is with him amd does enough to put him off

Gerrard cuts from the right and passes out to Cheyrou on the right flank. Quick ball swung in that Heskey rises to meet. Good power on the header but directed wide of the target

Mistake by Faye allows Kewell to attack down the left and win a corner

Corner to the back post is dropping and troubles Hislop who does well to palm it away for another corner

Another good delivery from Kewell. Heskey rises to meet it but the Pompey defence does enough to put him off

Faye plays a delightful ball from the halfway line disecting the Liverpool central back two. Smertin does not make good use of it though as his control lets him down

Mornar chests a Hislop free kick to Berkovic to start a Pompey attack. Good inter-passing from the visitors but too slow and the Liverpool defence eventually crowd them out

Cheyrou again given space to run with the ball in the middle of the pitch. Advances far enough to fancy a shot but the power is taken out of it by a Pompey deflection

Gerrard surges down the right under the watch of Stefanovic. Twists and turns to beat his man but the knock past is just too heavy and the ball runs out for a goal kick

Cheyrou skips past Faye but the Portsmouth man catches him late and a foul is given

Free kick swung in for Hyypia but it is too long and a blus shirt gets the final touch. Corner kick

Pompey give away another free kick down the right wing of their own half allowing Liverpool good crossing opportunities

Delivery this time is not so good and it comes to nothing

Mornar again getting a lot of joy off Carragher on the left is given space to fire in a cross. Intended for Smertin but it does not reach him and Henchoz clears

Kewell is challenged by Pasanen in front of goal, 35 yards out. Ball breaks to Heskey who turns and shoots instinctively. Great effort but narrowly wide

Plenty of chances for both sides as both are allowing space in the centre and looking to play positively

Liverpool retain possession on the right hand side of the pitch around the halfway line

Untidy defending from Liverpool on the edge of their own box sees the ball break out wide to Mornar. His cross is put behind for a corner.

Corner is into a good area but Pasanen's header is straight at Dudek who shows good hands

Pompey fans find their voice as a third corner is won but this time the cross is not a good one and dealt with easily by the Liverpool back line

The tireless Mornar, this time hugging the right touchline chases a long ball before crossing to Quashie on the edge of the box. He can't control, however, and the danger passes

Hamann out wide to Carragher, short ball played to Heskey's feet, first time lay off from the striker gives Hamann a shooting chance from distance. Worth a pop but it is high and wide

Again, Liverpool take their time in bringing the ball forward, refusing to be rushed by Portsmouth pressure

Carragher plays Gerrard in behind the Pompey back line on the left. Great diagonal cut back to Owen. First time shot is not as good as he would have hoped and Pompey clear.

Quick break from Portsmouth with Mornar on the left. Possession is wasted by a long, misdirected cross field ball

Smertin is booked for a late challenge on Cheyrou

Cheyrou breaks into the box down the left channel. A cut back looks on but Cheyrou decides to go for it himself from a very tight angle. Not too far over the bar but it was always going to be difficult from there

Whistle goes for half-time. In a very open cup-tie Liverpool made a blistering start but since then both sides have had chances. Liverpool have looked the more likely to add to Owen's 150th goal in a Liverpool shirt but while it remains 1-0 Portsmouth are very much in the match

No changes at half time from either side

Pompey kick off and almost straight away Yakubu and Hyypia collide. Nothing in it but Yakubu hurts himself in the fall and needs to receive treatment

Kewell dallies on the ball and is robbed by Smertin

Quick interchange of passes between Gerrard and Cheyrou on the left hand corner of the Pompey box, Gerrard plays a square ball to Owen who in turn does the same for Heskey who is powering down the right. A real chance and should have made the keeper work but a poor shot wide in the end

High ball over the top from deep by Stefanovic is a good one and finds Yakubu in space but the big striker is given offside

Ball spread from flank to flank by Pompey. Final ball into the box is dummied by Berkovic but Yakubu doesn't read it and the move breaks down

Finnan and Gerrard work space down the right, ball in to Heskey in the box is laid out once more to Finnan but the cross is not a good one

Period of head tennis in the middle. Gerrard brings it under control and is promptly fouled by Faye

Carragher, out by the corner flag on the left plays a slide pass to Owen just inside the box. Owen lays it back, first time, to Hammann who shapes to shoot and then fires an effort into the back of Stefanovic. Ball deflects off for a corner

Corner is wasted - too high and too long

First substitution sees Ivica Mornar make way for the introduction of Sebastian Olszar

Cross from the right by Finnan is long but Heskey does well to reach it and head back across the goal. Hislop should have collected but Pasanen takes no chances and heads clear from in front of his keeper

Faye, within the centre circle, sees Dudek off his line and tries one from distance. Needed to be a lot better to trouble the goal as if drifts softly into Dudek's hands

Pompey fail to clear their lines and the ball bounces out to the edge of the area. Hamann is piling in at pace and tries a first time shot. Does well to get over it and keep it down but slices it well wide in the end

Game is not at the same pace as the first half and has gone a little flat

A five man move starting at left back sees Liverpool skate across the pitch and get the ball out wide to Gerrard out on the left flank. Time to pick his spot but drills the cross into the body of Primus

Without the width that Mornar offered the Pompey attack, the visitors are trying to pass through the middle to little effect

Finnan plays a diagonal pass from the right to Owen who flicks the ball over the top for Gerrard to chase. Textbook covering tackle from Stefanovic in the box puts it out for a corner. Fans appeal for a penalty but Gerrard does not. Great tackle

Pompey free-kick from Berkovic is far to short and with most men up there is space for Gerrard to run into. Piles forward like a train, cuts inside on the edge of the box and curls an effort narrowly wide of Hislop's left hand post. Fantastic effort.

Gerrard, yet again, powers down the left wing forcing Pasanen into a desperate tackle. The defender upends him just inside the box. The referee however, only gives a free-kick out side the box

From the resulting free-kick Gerrard shoots but hits the wall. Ball breaks to Carragher who cracks an effort through a crowded box. Hislop is unsighted but makes an great reaction save, low to his left to deny a second Liverpool goal

Liverpool starting to dominate proceedings and the game is taking place almost exclusively in the visitor's half

Eyal Berkovic is taken off to be replaced by Matthew Taylor

Liverpool play keep ball for a while

Gerrard tries to get past Stefanovic and is fouled. Still gets past him before Smertin trips him. Falls into Stefanovic and in a tangle of arms and legs the two square up to each other. Referee sensibly just gives them a talking to and the game carries on

The confrontation has raised temperatures and the noise level as the game enters it's final passage of play

Both sides exchange possession in the middle of the pitch and someone needs to get their foot on it and start playing football

Pasanen plays a quick ball to Smertin who takes it wel on his chest and runs with it down the right flank. Cross sees Yakubu and Hyypia challenge. ball breaks to Taylor on the left hand corner of the box and he fires a bullet shot into the roof of the net to draw Pompey level. 1-1

Heskey crosses from the left but it is too long. Gerrard fights for it and gets the ball to Kewell who sweeps in a decent cross but no one is there

All hands to the pump at the back for Pompey as challenges fly in and the ball just won't break for anyone cleanly

Fast break from Pompey pitches Yakubu against Henchoz bearing down on the Liverpool goal. Yakubu gets there first but his shot is weak and Dudek gets down well to save

Florent Sinama Pongolle replaces Bruno Cheyrou

Pongolle involved straight away, twisting and turning in the box down the right. Swamped with blue shirts and can't find space to cross. Ball out to Finnan on the right. Cross is too long and Pompey clear

Liverpool substitution as Anthony Le Tallec comes on in place of Harry Kewell

Substitutes Pongolle and Taylor involved in a bit of pushing and Pompey win the free-kick deep in their own half

Gerrard in typical fashion powers down the right hand wing and puts in an inch perfect inswinger to Le Tallac at the near post. He makes contact but directs the volley just off target. Great opportunity to win the match wasted

Heskey and Finnan exchange passes on the right wing before Finnan swings a deep cross over. No one there except Pasanen who plays it save and clears for a corner

Corner sees a crowded box with many people going for it and getting each other's way

Pongolle cuts back and plays a left footed cross to the far post. Gerrard struggles to keep it in play and wins a corner for his troubles after a deflection from Pasanen

Hislop comes to collect the corner over Hyypia. Drops it but is lively enough to claim it at the second attempt

An absolute onslaught from the home side now as desperate defending gives up corner after corner. Pompey can't get out of their own half

3 minutes of added time to play

Long ball down the left from Taylor again sees Yakubu fighting with Henchoz for possession. The striker is the strongest and wins a corner off Henchoz

Pompey seemingly in no rush to get the game going whilst they are in the Liverpool half suggesting they are happy to take a replay

Pongolle is shown yellow for a two footed, studs up challenge on Taylor. He won the ball cleanly but the caution is more for potentially dangerous play

Final whistle sounds and Liverpool and Portsmouth will have to do it all over again at Fratton Park. Final score: 1-1

The reaction of the Pompey fans told the story of the game as they were well pleased to come away with a draw. Liverpool dominated the game for long periods, with Steven Gerrard an inspiration in midfield but they failed to turn chances into goals. Credit to Pompey for hanging in there and getting the equaliser. They got away with it and will fancy their chances on the South Coast. Cracking, full blooded cup-tie