▁Steven ▁G err ard ▁head ed - in ▁a ▁cross ▁to ▁restore ▁Liverpool ' s ▁two - goal ▁advantage . ▁A ▁mistake ▁by ▁Rob bie ▁F ow ler ▁gift ed ▁substitute ▁Wayne ▁All ison ▁the ▁chance ▁to ▁score , ▁but ▁the ▁stri ker ▁made ▁am ends ▁as ▁he ▁converted ▁a ▁penalty ▁kick ▁in ▁the ▁ 8 1 st ▁minute . ▁In ▁the ▁semi - final , ▁Liverpool ▁faced ▁Wy com be ▁W ander ers ▁at ▁Villa ▁Park . ▁Go als ▁from ▁H es key ▁and ▁F ow ler ▁and ▁a ▁cons olation ▁scored ▁by ▁Wy com be ' s ▁captain ▁Keith ▁Ryan ▁ens ured ▁Liverpool ▁won ▁ 2 – 1 ▁and ▁ear nt ▁a ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁final . ▁ ▁Pre - match ▁ ▁Stadium ▁changes ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁W emble y ▁Stadium , ▁the ▁final ' s ▁traditional ▁ven ue , ▁was ▁closed ▁in ▁anticip ation ▁of ▁major ▁re development . ▁Having ▁considered ▁alternative ▁ven ues ▁such ▁as ▁T wick en ham , ▁Murray field ▁and ▁Villa ▁Park , ▁the ▁FA ▁announced ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁that ▁the ▁next ▁three ▁Cup ▁final s ▁would ▁be ▁st aged ▁at ▁Card iff ' s ▁Mill en ni um ▁Stadium . ▁This ▁therefore ▁marked ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁the ▁show pie ce ▁event ▁was ▁held ▁outside ▁England . ▁In ▁the ▁lead - up ▁to ▁the ▁final , ▁FA ▁chief ▁executive ▁Adam ▁Cro z ier ▁acknowled ged ▁concerns ▁over ▁transport ▁and ▁the ▁quality ▁of ▁the ▁pitch , ▁saying