Win Carling Cup, and it will be trebles all round again, says Liverpool skipper Gerrard
steven Gerrard has demanded Liverpool make the most of a golden opportunity and use a win over Cardiff as the catalyst for a new era of success.
Liverpool play in their first major final since 2007 on Sunday and are odds-on favourites to lift a first trophy since Gerrard inspired them to FA Cup victory over West Ham in 2006.
Showdown: Gerrard hopes a win a Wembley will act as a catalyst for Liverpool
The England midfielder, 31, will lead Liverpool out at Wembley for the first time in his career and has his sights on a third League Cup winners' medal after wins over Birmingham in 2001 and Manchester United two years later.
The first time he got his hands on the trophy, it was the trigger for Liverpool to win another two trophies and qualify for the Champions League.
Gerrard sees parallels between the current squad and Gerard Houllier's treble winners.
'The feeling is quite similar,' he said. 'I think if we deliver the Carling Cup it will give us the confidence and, hopefully, can be a catalyst for the team. That's the way we all want it to go.
'Before we won the treble we were improving slowly and I think that's what is happening here. The new players are settling in well and getting better and better.
'Winning the cup competitions gives you belief and confidence and, if you can keep adding to what you've got and keep improving, hopefully we will do it.'
On target: Gerrard scored the only goal in the first-leg semi-final win over City
Gerrard's last experience of a Carling Cup final, however, ranks as one of the lowest moments of his career.
He scored an own goal as Liverpool were beaten 3-2 by Chelsea at the Millennium Stadium in 2005.
'It was a nightmare,' he recalled. 'I felt suicidal. It was bad, one of the worst days I have had, especially with it being against Chelsea. I was linked with them for a while before that cup final.
Heads, you lose: Gerrard said he was suicidal after scoring an own goal in Liverpool's defeat to Chelsea in 2005
'Then to go and score an own goal - there were Liverpool fans who probably thought I meant it at the time because I was linked with them - and to get the defeat was a nightmare too for me and the team.'
But, as Gerrard is out to settle an old score, so too is Cardiff captain Mark Hudson, who is expecting to be fit following a calf problem.
'This is a great opportunity to make up for previous disappointments at Wembley,' said Hudson, referring to Cardiff's FA Cup final defeat in 2008 and the play-off loss against Blackpool in 2010.
'A win would be a springboard for our bid to get into the Premier League.'
