cardiff set up in a 4–4–1–1 formation with rudy gestede in the striker position supported by kenny miller. liverpool lined up in a 4–2–3–1 formation, with andy carroll starting as the lone striker, with luis suárez playing behind him and jordan henderson and stewart downing either side. cardiff kicked off, but liverpool had the first chance of the match. steven gerrard passed the ball to stewart downing on the left hand side of the pitch, he passed to glen johnson whose shot hit the crossbar, the ball rebounded to gerrard, but he sent his shot over the cardiff goal. liverpool had the best of the opening minutes of the match, with cardiff unable to keep possession of the ball. liverpool had another chance in the sixth minute; downing went past cardiff defender kevin mcnaughton down the left of the pitch and crossed the ball into the penalty area, which was cleared for a corner kick. the resulting corner found andy carroll, but his header was deflected out for another corner which was caught by cardiff goalkeeper tom heaton.