Robbie Fowler will tonight pull on the captain's armband and bid to lead Liverpool into their first cup final for six years. Liverpool trail 1-2 from the first leg and cannot afford to let first division side Crystal Palace back into the hunt at Anfield.

Fowler, despite weeks of transfer speculation and off-field traumas, has still retained the confidence of manager Gerard Houllier to captain the side if he starts a match.

Fowler is officially vice-captain behind club skipper Jamie Redknapp, who is starting his return from knee surgery. So Houllier sticks by his policy that Fowler is captain if he plays, and not Sami Hyypia, who has had the job for much of the season in the absence of both Redknapp and Fowler.

Fowler has been troubled by his own return from injury, and his return has not been helped by facial injuries suffered in a bar-room fracas, but with Michael Owen out, Emile Heskey doubtful and only Jari Litmanen as a fit striker, the spotlight falls on the Scouse striker to show he still has the club at heart.

He has a marvellous scoring record of 25 goals in 30 matches in the League Cup. However, he has started just one of the last eight Liverpool games and been the subject of transfer speculation regarding Chelsea and Aston Villa.

With Owen out for what Houllier believes will only be 10 days with a recurrence of his hamstring injury, and Heskey doubtful with a thigh problem, the stage is set for Fowler to make a dramatic comeback.

Houllier said: "Robbie has to seize the chance, it is down to him to prove his worth. As team captain we expect a lot from him."

The Liverpool manager added: "If Robbie had not been involved in that fracas in the city, he would have played more recently than he has.

"That is a shame for Robbie. But now the chance has come and he has a crack at it, it is down to him to seize this opportunity."

Palace may well enjoy their night in the limelight at Anfield, but Clinton Morrison may find it trying. The free-scoring Palace striker made the cardinal sin of being loose with his tongue after Liverpool had squandered 25 chances in the first leg in south London. Michael Owen was criticised by Morrison after the Selhurst Park clash. And Liverpool's players and fans have not forgotten how Morrison reckoned he would have scored many of the chances Owen missed.

Morrison, who qualifies to play for the Republic of Ireland, has tried to apologise and claims he was misquoted, but his words have not fallen on deaf ears.

Houllier said: "I am grateful to Clinton for telling us how to score. We must have left our own instruction book behind when we went to Selhurst Park.

"Now we must try to take a lesson from Clinton in the second leg. I found his comments very amusing."

Tranmere manager John Aldridge, also chipped in. He said: "I think Clinton Morrison was guilty of being naive. Clinton is a talented young striker who has done well for Crystal Palace, but his comments were ill-advised.

"Owen is an exceptional young striker who has made his mark on the world stage. Clinton is still trying to make his mark in the game."