The FA Cup Semi Final
Player of the Round Nominations



Marlon Harewood, West Ham
Yossi Benayoun, West Ham
Luis Garcia, Liverpool
Xabi Alonso, Liverpool

22 April 2006
VIDEO: Middlesbrough 0-1 West Ham

Marlon Harewood fired the Hammers through to their first FA Cup Final in 26 years, with Alan Pardew dancing in delight.
21 April 2006
VIDEO: Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool

Click here to watch Liverpool knock out Chelsea at Old Trafford, with Riise and Garcia bagging the two vital goals.

The votes are flying in for final FA Cup Player of the Round competition with Liverpool's Luis Garcia leading the way with 36 per cent of the votes cast so far - but you can make a difference and if you enter our competition you could be watching Liverpool take on West Ham on 13 May.

The former Barcelona man scored a fantastic goal from the edge of the Chelsea box to double Liverpool's lead in the Semi-Final before Dider Drogba hauled one back for the London side.

It was Garcia's first ever goal in The FA Cup and he will be hard pressed to score a better one, and came after he had already missed a much easier chance. "When you have a player like Luis you know he is always going to try and do things," said Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez.

"You know he is going to miss some easy goals but then again he will get some fantastic goals." West Ham's hard working midfielder Yossi Benayoun is close behind with 30 per cent of the votes. The Israeli winger was influential in his side dominating large parts of their 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.

Also in the hunt to become West Ham's first player to feature in the Team of The FA Cup is their goal hero from the weekend, Marlon Harewood.

The former Nottingham Forest man was fed by Dean Ashton's 78th minute knock-down and held off defender Gareth Southgate before thumping a powerful drive into the roof of the net to book his side's place in The Final on 13 May.

Liverpool's other Spanish star Xabi Alonso is also hoping to join previous round winners Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher in the team.

The classy midfielder gave yet another masterclass in passing as his side edged past the Premiership champions elect - dashing their dreams of a 'Double'. The player with the most votes will fill the final place in The FA’s Team of The FA Cup.

He will also win £1000 worth of UMBRO football kit for a local school, club or organisation and an engraved silver salver.

Players were nominated by a team of panelists including Radio 5 Live’s Mark Clemmit, The Daily Telegraph’s Ricky George, Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday anchorman Jeff Stelling, David Watters, news editor of The Non League Paper, and FA Chief Executive Brian Barwick, in conjunction with FA personnel attending FA Cup matches.

Fans can now vote for their chosen player in our poll on the homepage before the deadline of 9am next Tuesday 2 May.