“Who’s the one player in the Manchester City squad to have previously won the Champions League?”
The answer to this question should produce, at the very least, a wry smile on the face of Liverpool supporters.
Pep Guardiola might have won the European Cup twice as a manager with Barcelona but it’s now 11 years since he last ruled Europe.
Brought to the Etihad to lead City to a first Champions League title, last year’s final defeat is the closest they have come.
For all the millions they have spent in trying to conquer Europe, only one member of their playing squad possesses a winner’s medal.
And he was signed initially on loan before joining on a free transfer.
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The answer is, of course, former Liverpool goalkeeper Scott Carson.
Now 36, the shot-stopper was on the bench for the Reds when they famously beat AC Milan on penalties to win the Champions League in 2005.
Signing from Leeds United that January, the then 19-year-old was making only his third appearance for Liverpool when handed his Champions League debut by Rafa Benitez in the quarter-finals in April 2005.
Coming against the mighty Juventus, Carson found himself facing shots from the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alessandro Del Piero, David Trezeguet and Pavel Nedevd as he helped a Reds side containing the likes of Anthony Le Tallec, Igor Biscan, Djimi Traore and Antonio Nunez to an unlikely 2-1 win on their road to Istanbul.
He would start in the Reds’ qualifiers against Lithuanian and Bulgarian minnows FBK Kaunas and CSKA Sofia the following season, but that clash with the Old Lady would remain his only appearance in the Champions League proper.
Until Wednesday night, that is.
Seventeen years on from that performance against Juventus and Carson was handed his second-ever appearance in Europe’s elite competition, coming on as a 73rd-minute substitute for Ederson in Man City’s 0-0 draw with Sporting Lisbon.
With Guardiola’s men leading 5-0 on aggregate already from the first leg, and with five substitutions permitted in European football, it was a token outing based on sentimentality. It was a similar story last year when Carson was handed his City debut against Newcastle United in their first match after being confirmed as champions.
The shot-stopper is third-choice at the Etihad, having joined them permanently last year following two seasons on loan from Championship side Derby County. Considering he has also played for West Bromwich Albion, Bursaspor and Wigan Athletic since leaving Liverpool permanently, that previous lack of Champions League football is no surprise.
Yet Carson is a popular and valued member of the Man City camp, akin to when the Reds signed Andy Lonergan to fulfil a similar role for a season back in 2019.
"We are delighted - he is very important behind the scenes,” Guardiola said of the change against Sporting. “The chemistry with Eddy and Zack (Steffen), people listen to him. It was important and he made a big save to ensure we didn’t lose the game."
Meanwhile, speaking on Thursday ahead of City's Premier League clash with Crystal Palace, the Spaniard highlighted Carson as the perfect role-model for the club's youngsters.
"One of the best advice for them is stay around Carson as much as possible in the locker room and the pitch," Guardiola said. "Listen to him, every time he says pay attention, do it, this is the best advice they can get.
"You have to be there to know his influence, every situation is different. Experienced to live many things. His value, just be with them. Like young actors have to be with old actors. They are wiser, they have learned the values of a profession."
In truth, the game against Sporting could prove to be Carson’s last appearance in the Champions League too, and perhaps even for City.
Out of contract in the summer, it would not be a surprise if the 36-year-old left the club, and could even contemplate retirement if he wanted to hang up his gloves while on top.
While Guardiola’s men won the Premier League at a canter last season, Liverpool have made sure it looks certain to be a different story this year if they are to emerge as champions.
Meanwhile, with City still going strong in the Champions League and FA Cup, it would take another emphatic first-leg lead in Europe, mass rotation before or after a final, or a goalkeeping injury crisis for Carson to be turned to by Guardiola again now.
Yet if he is to leave the Etihad come the summer, the goalkeeper will be hoping to do so as a European champion with a second Champions League winner’s medal around his neck, safe in the knowledge he would no longer be the lone Man City player to own one.
It’s easy to chuckle at the fact that the former Liverpool European champion plays for Guardiola’s side after spending the majority of his career in the Championship.
But in truth, come the summer Jurgen Klopp could perhaps benefit from signing a Carson of his own.
The former England international has performed a valuable role at the Etihad as an experienced back-up goalkeeper, and also, rather helpfully, adds to their home-grown quota.
The Reds have been no stranger to bringing in left-field third-choice goalkeepers of their own under Klopp, with Alex Manninger a previous back-up prior to Lonergan’s arrival, while Adrian currently fills such a role after dropping behind Caoimhin Kelleher in the pecking order.
But the Spaniard is out of contract himself in the summer and now 35-years-old, would not be begrudged an Anfield exit if he wished to depart and be a first-choice goalkeeper elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Kelleher has repeatedly proven his talents when called upon for Liverpool, most recently in last month’s League Cup final over Chelsea, but the Reds are well aware they will not be able to retain the 23-year-old’s services forever with Alisson’s place as first-choice ahead of the Republic of Ireland international undisputed.
Goalkeeping coach John Achterberg has worked hard to ensure that Liverpool’s young goalkeeping production line continues beyond the Irishman, with the likes of Marcelo Pitaluga and Harvey Davies next in line for a promotion.
But both still teenagers, they would neither provide experience as back-up or fill a homegrown berth due to their tender years.
Klopp was unable to name a full 25-man squad in either the Premier League or Champions League this season, due to the Reds not possessing enough homegrown or club-trained players.
While such numbers will grow when the likes of Harvey Elliott qualify, there still remains a question mark over the futures of the homegrown players Liverpool do possess like James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Joe Gomez, as well as the currently underage Curtis Jones.
As a result, it would certainly prove beneficial if the Reds did find a senior, homegrown goalkeeper of their own to kill two birds with one stone.
But while Carson would tick both boxes if he does move on this summer, along with beneficial inside-knowledge of Guardiola's City, Liverpool will have to look elsewhere with an Anfield return for the shot-stopper seeming even more unlikely than his move to the Etihad in the first place.
