'Frightening' Liverpool warning still holds true after infamous Arsenal incident

Matters are expected to be lively when Liverpool return from their mid-winter break on Sunday week with the FA Cup fourth round visit of Championship side Cardiff City and their vociferous fans.

Nobody, though, will expect it to be quite as volatile as when the Reds stepped out for a similar tie 20 years ago today.

The clash at Arsenal was already steeped in narrative with the pair having met in the final the previous season where Michael Owen's two late goals had snatched the trophy from the Gunners' grasp.

And with the teams having met twice in the previous nine games in the Premier League - Liverpool losing 2-1 at Anfield before earning a 1-1 draw at Highbury two weeks before the Cup showdown - familiarity bred a certain contempt.

There was incident enough during the first three-quarters of a fiercely-contested tie in which Dennis Bergkamp had opened the scoring during the first half.

But the real drama began in the 66th minute when Martin Keown was sent off for pulling back Owen as he raced in behind on to a throughball from Jari Litmanen.

Four minutes later, it was Bergkamp who saw red after a dangerous challenge on Jamie Carragher by the touchline.

Then, though, came the remarkable moment for which the game will be forever remembered.

With the Arsenal fans fuming at the two quickfire dismissals, Carragher was hit by a coin thrown the crowd. The startled Liverpool man then picked up the object and threw it back towards the offender, resulting in an immediate red from referee Mike Riley.

"No matter what the physical or verbal provocation, I shouldn't have reacted like that and I want to apologise for any offence I've caused," admitted a contrite Carragher afterwards.

"I was frustrated and I did it without thinking in