Stoke City 1-2 Liverpool: Super Suarez Strikes to send Reds through

Luis Suarez struck twice as Liverpool came from a goal down to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.

Against the run of play, Kenwyne Jones gave Stoke a 44th minute lead, but with star striker Suarez sensational again, the Reds staged a second-half comeback to keep alive hopes of a trip to Wembley.

Reds manager Kenny Dalglish made 8 changes to the side that drew with Norwich City on Saturday. Captain Steven Gerrard was given the night o, with Sebastian Coates starting at the back, Lucas Leiva partnering Jay Spearing in midfield and Andy Carroll returning upfront alongside Luis Suarez. For the Potters, Jonathan Woodgate returned from injury while ex-Reds trio Peter Crouch, Jermaine Pennant and Salif Diao all started on the bench.

After being guilty of missing a number of chances in games this season, including the 1-0 league defeat at the Britannia in September, Liverpool started the game in much the same vein. Dominating possession, both Carroll and Suarez had efforts saved by Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen.

On 16 minutes, Lucas played a neat one-two with Maxi Rodriguez before squaring the ball for Suarez, who was once again denied by Sorenson.

Slowly the home side got into the game, with the Liverpool defence guilty of conceding free-kicks in their own half. It was from a familiar route that Stoke thought they had taken the lead, when a Rory Delap throw-in was nodded in by Jonathan Walters, only for referee Lee Probert to award the Reds a free-kick for a foul on goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

At the other end, good build-up play by the Liverpool midfield allowed right-back Martin Kelly to advance and hit a low left-foot shot, which forced Sorensen to dive low to his left to keep out.

As the first-half drew to a close, Stoke took the lead against the run of play. Uruguayan defender Coates failed to deal with a bouncing ball wide on the left, allowing Walters to nip in and advanced towards the Reds' box. Walters calmly looked up and found Kenwynne Jones, who stooped low to head into Reina's far corner.

There was still time for Suarez to go close again, as he stayed on his feet despite a reckless Stoke challenge, before firing wide of the far post.

Half-time saw Liverpool make a change with Martin Skrtel replacing the injured Jamie Carragher. As the Liverpool defence regrouped, Stoke started the second half the better of the two sides. However, on 52 minutes, the Reds were level.

Picking up the ball wide on the left, Suarez cheekily nutmegged Ryan Shotton, before brilliantly curling the ball into the far corner. It ended a period of frustration for Suarez, who failed  from 11 shots against Norwich and looked to be heading for the same result at the Britannia.

With the threat of extra-time looming, both sides made changes as they looked for a winner. On came Cameron Jerome and Pennant for Stoke, whilst Liverpool opted for more pace as Craig Bellamy replaced Maxi. The change almost immediately paid dividends for the Reds as he linked up with Carroll before hitting a low bobbling shot against the Stoke post.

With five minutes remaining, Suarez struck again. When Ryan Shawcross headed away from the Stoke box, Jordan Henderson produced a brilliant first-time volley back into the box, where Suarez had fund space to coolly head past Sorensen.

Tony Pulis immediately threw on Crouch, with instructions clearly to launch the ball towards the big striker. It nearly paid off when the England man fired over from six yards, but in truth, despite a few long-throws and corners, Liverpool stood firm, with Coates impressive despite his earlier mishap.

As the game entered the final minutes, an injured Suarez left the field to a rapturous reception from the travelling Kop, although the move looked precautionary with Dalglish keen to look after his prize asset.

The win means Liverpool join the two Manchester clubs, as well as Arsenal and Chelsea in Saturday's lunch-time draw, as they edge nearer to a first visit to the new Wembley.