Image source, Getty Images

The players have disappeared, the crests of both clubs are being dragged by a team of people into the centre of each half of the pitch. The sound of the PA system dies down. The sound of passionate football songs picks up. Wembley looks a picture. The teams should be with us momentarily. Let the dream making and heartbreak begin...

Image source, Getty Images

England boss Roy Hodgson speaking to BT Sport: "I think Brendan Rodgers will be very happy that he can go back to his preferred system with three players at the back. Steven Gerrard's return is very important too. But with Aston Villa, particularly under Tim Sherwood, there is a lot of impetus on their side. But whatever ideas you might have, in a semi-final it's often down to passion or performance on the day.

"It's great to see Christian Benteke come back to his best, he's a handful for any defence, but Liverpool have Martin Skrtel back to try and deal with him. Raheem Sterling is an excellent player, he can play anywhere across the front line and his pace can cause defenders problems, but it won't be the first fast forward Ron Vlaar has dealt with and he did that very well in the World Cup. I'm also looking forward to seeing Fabian Delph against Jordan Henderson, that will be another interesting battle."

Liam Brady on BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek: "The bookmakers are making it a foregone conclusion that Liverpool will win, but I don't see it that way.

"Villa are on a good run at the moment, they are playing well, striker Christian Benteke is in form and they had a good result at Spurs so I kind of fancy Villa a little bit. All of the pressure is on Liverpool, they have been inconsistent of late and they need Raheem Sterling to have a good game. I am going 2-1 to Villa."

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Wembley

Image source, Getty Images

"The atmosphere is really building inside Wembley with Liverpool and Aston Villa both completing their final preparations - and a cacophonous mixture of cheers and jeers greet the name of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard when it is announced.

"Both teams have big attacking talents missing today, as Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge misses out with a hip injury and Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor is sidelined with a hamstring problem.

"Liverpool have grown used to life without Sturridge this season but how will Villa readjust without Agbonlahor as a potent partner for Christian Benteke?"

The FA Cups flowed in the 1980s, the League Cups flowed in the 1980s, the Charity Shields flowed in the 1980s. Public transport and the motorways from Merseyside to Wembley were well trodden. So much so Wembley became known as 'Anfield South' to Liverpool fans at least.

The frequency of trips to the hallowed venue may have dwindled, but manager Brendan Rodgers insists the intent remains.

"Wembley was somewhere that used to be known as 'Anfield South'," he says. "Liverpool used to visit Wembley so much it was a regular occurrence for them.

"I know how much it means to the supporters and it's something that goes deep. If we could get a victory it would be very much for them this season."

And Wembley hears its first 'You'll Never Walk Alone' of the day. Will there be one belting around the stadium in around two hours time? This Merseyside bunch were once brazen enough to call the home of English football 'Anfield South' you know...

Former Arsenal & Aston Villa defender Martin Keown

"As a former Aston Villa player you can't tell me this is a bigger game for Liverpool. Tim Sherwood has done an incredible job. I wouldn't fancy playing against Benteke today. He will shake up Skrtel."

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood talking to BT Sport: "There might not be three points at stake, but there is a prize at stake, playing in the FA Cup final. That's the aim, no one remembers who loses the semi-final so it's important we apply ourselves in the right way. We will be trying to impose ourselves on Liverpool, we know they have an attacking threat but so do we and we are not going to sit back and take the punishment.

"We did think about playing Gabriel Agbonlahor. He trained on Friday and he felt a little reaction afterwards but we knew it was too great a risk. We could lose him for the rest of the season and potentially for the FA Cup final."

It's good to see that a trip to Wembley still requires crucial hydration tactics as this picture tweeted by Villa fan James Townsend, external shows. We are sure those beverages are all non-alcoholic shandy.

And kudos to the man bottom right in this shot who has worn a 1990's drill top for the day. Straight out of the Dalian Atkinson era that one. Superb. Britain needs more drill tops.

Image source, James Townsend Twitter

"Come on lads, this could be your year, you will never get a better chance," reads a message from an Aston Villa fan which has been put up in their dressing room today.

Image source, Aston Villa

"Leave it on the pitch, not in here," reads another message and the Midlands club have really gone to town in making their changing facilities feel homely. The large dressing room is decked in claret and blue, messages everywhere, a real effort.

Image source, Aston Villa

Football, with its endless fixture lists and hits on the wallet perhaps loses some of its romance as age creeps into us all.

Think back to those early days though, the sticker books, the collectables, the stories you only heard about Wembley - watching your team there was all but a dream.

Then look at this image if you're a Red or travelling Villain today and soak it up. The arch, Bobby Moore and the names of your clubs adorn Wembley Way.

Image source, Liverpool FC

And here comes Steven Gerrard, cue the camera flashes, Liverpool decked in all yellow. The captain opts for a jumper over his shirt to work a sweat up. Brendan Rodgers's assistant Colin Pascoe begins some warm-up drills.

The platitudes for Steven Gerrard's contribution to English football have whistled in from all corners of the land but if a quiet hush was all that seeped from Villa Park it would probably be understandable.

Image source, Getty Images

Gerrard has managed 13 goals against Aston Villa since 2001, only Robbie Fowler (14) has bludgeoned more against them in a Red shirt.

Former Arsenal & Aston Villa defender Martin Keown
Football Focus

"It's the Hillsborough anniversary, there is a lot emotion around the club and one of their best players of all time is about to leave. They should get him in the team and build it around him. A top player of his quality should be in that side."

Send us your predictions before kick-off. Who wins? Who stands out and can either side lift the trophy?

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BBC Radio 5 live

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Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers on the return of skipper Steven Gerrard: "Obviously Steven has got great experience and Wembley has been a second home to him over the last 10-15 years.

"He is looking fit and ready, we had a game arranged in midweek for him and Martin Skrtel to gain fitness and they came through it very well.

"It is a day where his experience is really important to us. We have got a lot of young players and sometimes that has shown in some big games. But they will only get better by playing more of them and Steven will help them gain experience."

Full commentary from Wembley on BBC Radio 5 live remember. Click on the 'Live Coverage' tab to listen.

Here comes the full Villa team, they spring from the runnel onto the pitch. Gabriel Agbonlahor, wearing a big peak cap, is chatting to pundit Jermaine Jenas near the tunnel and probably looks on with envy as his team-mates begin to loosen up. We await their opponents...

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Wembley

Image source, Getty Images

"Wembley is starting to fill up for the weekend's second FA Cup semi-final between Aston Villa and Liverpool. The winners join Arsenal in the final next month, who needed extra-time to beat Reading yesterday.

"Villa arrive in buoyant mood after their win at Spurs but you sense so much hinges on the impact of in-form striker Christian Benteke, who has given Liverpool severe trouble in the past.

"For Liverpool, captain Steven Gerrard returns after a three-game ban with the dream finale to his Anfield career still in sight - an FA Cup Final appearance against Arsenal at Wembley on his 35th birthday on 30 May.

"Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood does not do sentiment and he will confident his team can provide trouble for a Liverpool defence, despite the absence of the injured Gabriel Agbonlahor."

Steven Gerrard gets the chance to influence an occasion which could see Liverpool book an FA Cup final place for his last appearance in the club's shirt.

We will never know if he was always going to start or if news of an injury to Lucas Leiva which broke just over an hour ago was pivotal. Daniel Sturridge does not make the squad and Aston Villa's attack suffers a similar blow as the pace of Gabriel Agbonlahor is missing.

Shay Given, Villa's keeper in the cups this year, makes just his sixth club appearance of the season.

Aston Villa: Given, Bacuna, Baker, Vlaar, Richardson, Westwood, Delph, Cleverley, Grealish, N'Zogbia, Benteke.

Liverpool: Mignolet, Can, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno, Allen, Henderson, Gerrard, Markovic, Coutinho, Sterling.

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Image source, Getty Images

Those players with expectation weighing on their shoulders like a concrete block are beginning to make their way onto the Wembley turf. Simon Mignolet is loosening up ahead of a big day in Liverpool's goal but who will play in front of him? Team news comes next.

Thank you for being with us today. We will have colour from our chief football writer Phil McNulty at Wembley, images, social media interaction and stats aplenty coming your way...