As a confused Juventus-bound Ian Rush said when he arrived in Italy all thsoe years ago: welcome!

Liverpool are in London to take on Chelsea in an intriguing battle. Across town Arsenal take on the arrivistes Man City and, off-Broadway, Cardiff host Blackburn.

There’s also a bumper programme of Championship action on a night that will begin with more tribute to Gary Speed – particularly at the City Ground where Forest take on Leeds.

To quote Martin Tyler… ‘and it’s live’.

So here are your team-sheets – there’s some big names absent:

Cardiff v Blackburn

Cardiff: Heaton, McNaughton, Taylor, Gerrard, Turner, Kiss, Whittingham, Cowie, Conway, Gunnarsson, Miller. Subs: Marshall, Earnshaw, Quinn, Mason, Blake, McPhail, Ralls.

Blackburn: Bunn, Hanley, Givet, Dann, Lowe, Petrovic, Dunn, Formica, Pedersen, Blackman, Goodwillie. Subs: Robinson, Rochina, Yakubu, Vukcevic, Roberts, Anderson, Henley.

Chelsea v Liverpool

Chelsea : Turnbull, Bosingwa, Luiz, Alex, Bertrand, Lampard, Romeu, McEachran, Malouda, Torres, Lukaku. Subs: Hilario, Ivanovic, Ramires, Mata, Ferreira, Kalou, Anelka.

Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Coates, Jose Enrique, Henderson, Lucas, Spearing, Maxi, Bellamy, Carroll. Subs: Doni, Suarez, Kuyt, Downing, Adam, Skrtel, Flanagan.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Djourou, Koscielny, Squillaci, Miquel, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coquelin, Frimpong, Benayoun, Park, Chamakh. Subs: Mannone, Vermaelen, Arshavin, Gervinho, Eastmond, Ozyakup, Yennaris.

Man City: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Toure, Onuoha, Savic, Hargreaves, De Jong, Johnson, Nasri, Kolarov, Dzeko. Subs: Taylor, Richards, Bridge, Aguero, Suarez, Rekik, Razak.

That’s a much-changed City side. Andy Burton just corrected Roberto Mancini who explained he mixed it up because they played just 48 years ago.

Let’s have your predictions, I’m getting the kettle on.

We’re up and running at the Bridge – the game at the emirates starts later – with Fernando Torres accepting the first chorus of boos from the travelling Liverpool fans.

‘Must be a penalty’ roars the commentator as David Luiz goes down in the box after three minutes. Coates lunged in well after the ball was gone and the Brazilian went to ground but Phil Dowd has awarded a free out for diving. It looks a good decision.

David Luiz is at the centre of the action once again as Andy Carroll is bundled over the other box as he leaps for a high cross. Nothing doing from Dowd again though.

The away fans at the City Ground will be beginning their 11 minutes of chanting in tribute for their former No 11 – Gary Speed – right about now, 11 minutes into their game with Forest. Brilliant stuff.

West Ham take an early lead against Boro meanwhile through Piquionne.

Deary me. @BHDFlanagan tweets, depressingly:

“I didnt think English soccer could stoop this low. Forest fans applaud Gary Speed and in response Leeds fans chant Brian Clough is a w***ker”

Our old pal Marek Hamsik scored a penalty for Napoli just now against Juventus but it had to be retaken because there was people in the box. He missed the second.

GOAL! Cardiff 1 Blackburn 0 Kenny Miller

PENALTY! Liverpool have a spot kick after much debate with referee Phil Dowd. Alex handled the ball in the air and the decision – though long in coming – is a correct one. 

SAVED Carroll goes straight down the middle and Turnbull saves well. He could have done with scoring that, Jeff.

Leeds have scored through Snodgrass, moments after the 11-minute’s of Speedo chanting ends.

Players at the Emirates stand during the minute’s applause for Speed:

Anthony Devlin/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Florent Malouda has now been booked – for a wild enough challenge on Lucas. He joins centre halves Alex and Luiz in the book.

Chelsea’s young midfielder Josh McEachran has a knock and makes way, sadly. Ramires trots on, with five minutes to go ’til half-time.

Come on down Ryan Bertrand, the price is right. The left back is the fourth Chelsea name in the referee’s notebook but the official has gotten it wrong on two counts, if you ask ,e.

It was actually Lukaku who made the challenge – and it could well have warranted a straight red. Jordan Henderson is just up off the deck after a really high tackle, asking ‘who was it?’.

And moments later Lukaku almost scores. He got a head to a Bosingwa cross on the edge of the box, but with Reina rooted to the spot, he flashed it wide.  We’re playing three minutes of added time now.

So it’s half-time at Stamford Bridge but here’s that penalty if you, like Andy Carroll, missed it.

So we’re about to get underway again. No changes at the Bridge – though what odds Chelsea lose one of those four booked players over the next 45 minutes?

It’s now half-time at the Emirates by the way – we need a few goals or it might be a late shift for all of us. These ties have to be decided tonight.

GOAL! Cardiff 2-0 Blackburn (Gerrard)

It’s starting to stretch a bit here.. for the first time really.

Craig Bellamy got a run of steam going for the first time there but his pass through to Carroll was slightly over-hit. This is better fare already though.

Torres showed a little bit of pace there and he drew the foul from Coates. The Liverpool defender becomes the frist Red in the ref’s book tonight.

Lampard sends in the subsequent free-kick, it pin-balls around the box, hitting the bar and ultimately put behind for a corner after a diving Luiz header.

GOAL! Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1 Maxi Rodriguez

Craig Bellamy is rewarded for a good run with a delicious Jordan Henderson ball through the gap. The Welshman scurries on and squares for Maxi who slots it easily past Turnbull. Luiz might have been playing him on I think.

There’s still 30 minutes to go but AVB is throwing the dice. The Chelsea boss is going to use his two remaining substitutions presently with Anelka and Mata waiting on the sideline.

GOAL! Chelsea 0 Liverpool 2 Martin Kelly

Bellamy put in a wonderful delivery from a free kick on the sideline and Martin Kelly steered it home. It was all about the ball in though.

Malouda and Lukaku make way for Anelka and Mata, lining up for the kick-off at 2-0.

Sacked in the morning, you’re getting sacked in the morning, the travelling Reds tell Villas-Boas from the stands.

You know who else is up to his neck?

It’s still 2-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Bad news for you Liverpool fans. Man of the moment, Lucas is on the turf clutching his knee awaiting a stretcher.

Charlie Adam will be introduced but Kenny Dalglish will hope his in-form holding midfielder is not facing an extended stay on the sidelines.

Let off. Anelka was played in but Reina held him up at the edge of the box. Three defenders got back on the line – like they do against City on Sunday – and Carragher sent the ball halfway up the pitch. Have it!

As I type, Torres has an effort saved. 15 minutes left.

Napoli are beating Juve 3-2 in the Serie A with 10 minutes to go by the way. ‘Citing.

Kuyt is on for Bellamy who’s had an emotional if impressive evening. The Reds fans sing ‘There’s only one Gary Speed’ for a bit, touchingly.

We’re into the final five minutes at Stamford Bridge and Liverpool’s travelling fans know they’re into the semi-finals at this stage.

Alex just missed an opportunity to get the Blues back in it when he drilled a free-kick- conceded by an over-enthusiastic Andy Carroll – over and wide.

Here’s Martin Kelly’s goal:

YouTube credit: 777 Footballer

The Bridge is emptying out quickly as the disgruntled Chelsea fans head for the Tube. Liverpool’s supporter’s ask Torres, ‘what’s the score?’.

FULL-TIME Cardiff are into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup, beating Steve Kean’s Blackburn 2-0.

In the Championship, Leeds hammered Forest at the City Ground 4-0, a fitting tribute to their former No 11.

FULL-TIME It’s all over at the Bridge now too and Liverpool are into the last four. There’s yet more pressure upon Villas-Boas tonight.

It finished 3-3 in Naples with pepe earning a precious point for the Old Lady. Sounds like that was a cracker.

GOAL! Arsenal 0 Man City 1 Aguero has broken the deadlock at the Emirates

There’ll be three added minutes at the Emirates. Dun dun dun.

One of life’s little joys.. Fabianski, the Gunners’ goalkeeper trots up for a corner. And then scurries back towards his own net.

Ireland’s great white hope Robbie Brady was sent off for Hull in their defeat at Southampton tonight, incidentally. Straight red as far as I can see.

FULL-TIME Arsenal 0 Man City 1

Our own Niall Kelly tweets: “Great chance for Chamakh in injury time. Cut to RVP in the stand thinking ‘I would’ve scored that.’ And he’d be correct”

And that is the full stop in Arsenal’s Carling Cup bid.

So we now know three of the four semi-finalists – which will be two-legged affairs. Join us tomorrow to learn which of Manchester United and Crystal Palace join Liverpool, Man City and Cardiff in the draw.