Luton's Kenilworth Road pitch is 110 yards long and with Alonso pulling back his left foot on the edge of the centre circle in his own half, that would make it a goal scored from 65 yards.

Luton 'keeper Marlon Beresford, a hero after saving Djibril Cisse's spot-kick when the score was 2-1 in the Hatters' favour, had raced upfield in the dying moments after his side had been awarded a right-wing corner.

He loitered longer than he might have done, because Liverpool needed a couple of attempts to clear the ball. But when they did, Alonso found the 'keeper at unusually close quarters as he brought he ball out of defence.

In the clear, but with skipper Steven Gerrard screaming for a pass to his left, the Spaniard aimed a left-footer that bounced several times before rolling into the Luton net for 5-3.

It takes a special skill to score from that range - it's not just about power - and that's why goals scored from inside the scorer's half are so rare.

The FA has been asked about the longest shot that ended in a goal at an FA Cup match but there is no official record.

We know of a few scored from inside a player's half, without a precise yardage, and those include Tom Garrett's shot for Blackpool against Huddersfield in the year of the famous "Matthews Final" (1953) and Dennis Burnett's for West Ham against Oldham in the '60s.

So who could claim to have scored a goal comparable to Alonso's magnificent effort at the weekend, watched live by millions on the BBC?

The legendary Pele almost managed it at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, his audacious blast from 60 yards for Brazil against Czechoslovakia missing Victor's left-hand post by about a foot.

So step forward David Beckham on the opening day of the 1996-97 Premiership season, beating Wimbledon's Neil Sullivan with a shot from inches inside United's half.

A goal from 55 yards or so is such a difficult thing to accomplish that having a 'keeper on the line is almost an irrelevance!

If you know of a longer range strike in The FA Cup than that of Xabi Alonso please contact us with the details.