Cardiff motivated for Cup upset

Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay believes his side need no extra motivation for Sunday’s Carling Cup final against Liverpool.

The Welsh outfit – who lost the 2008 FA Cup final to Portsmouth – return to Wembley as rank outsiders against Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool.

And Mackay said his side were looking forward to testing themselves on the big stage against English Premier League opposition.

“I don’t think there is any need to get them up for occasion,” Mackay said.

“I think that when you go and play a final of the Carling Cup for the first time in the club’s history and you go to Wembley against Liverpool there’s no need to get them up.”

“As far as the focus where the players are concerned they’re really looking forward to it, looking forward to getting out there and testing themselves against Liverpool.”

Mackay has dubbed his side’s achievement of making the final as “terrific for the city”, but is aware his side will face an uphill battle to win the trophy.

“It’s terrific for the city, it’s terrific for the football club, 92 clubs started out in this competition and we’re down to ourselves and Liverpool,” he said.

“We’re obviously massive underdogs, that’s undoubted, when you look at the two clubs of course we are, and nine times out of 10 the underdogs are beaten but there is the other times as well.”

As an additional sub-plot Cardiff’s Anthony Gerrard will line-up against his cousin, Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, in the match.

“I’ve spoken to him (Steven Gerrard) this week,” the Cardiff defender said.

“We had a little joke the other day via text message about ‘what are you doing Sunday?’. It’s nothing heavy, just a little bit (of) light-hearted banter.”