Profile

Andy Carroll is an England centre-forward who became Liverpool's record signing in January 2011.

At hometown club Newcastle he established himself as a hard-to-handle, often explosive frontman - and now he is aiming to become an Anfield legend wearing the No.9 jersey vacated by Fernando Torres.

Carroll knows all about playing in a pressured environment having worn Alan Shearer's legendary shirt in front of the Toon Army.

Liverpool's scouts first become aware of his abilities having seen him at close hand during the FA Youth Cup semi-final in March 2007. Although Newcastle were well beaten, Carroll scored in the first leg at St James' Park and was a real handful throughout.

Liverpool and Newcastle legend Kevin Keegan once described Carroll as 'probably in the top three headers of a ball I have ever seen in football'.

After graduating through the Toon Academy, he became Newcastle's youngest ever European debutant when he played against Palermo during a 1-0 UEFA Cup win in 2006 at the age of 17.

The striker scored his first senior goal against Juventus in a friendly on July 29, 2007. After the game the Juventus 'keeper Gianluigi Buffon tipped Carroll to have a big future.

Despite Newcastle's relegation from the top flight in 2008-09, they made an instant return after a Carroll-inspired season in the Championship. Defences were sick of the sight of this marauding hitman as he hit 19 goals.

Carroll was also recognised by his peers when he was included in the PFA Championship Team of the Year.

His performances back in the Premier League caught the attention of England manager Fabio Capello, who offered the big man a debut in a friendly with France on November 17, 2010.

It was turning out to be quite a season for the young forward, who would make his Liverpool bow as a substitute in a 3-1 victory over Manchester United on March 6, 2011.

Three weeks later, on March 29, there was another special moment: a first England goal in a friendly against Ghana at Wembley.

Full of confidence, he returned to open his Liverpool account with a double against Manchester City on April 11.

The next year would be spent adapting to life at one of the world's biggest clubs, and though it wasn't always easy, his quest to win medals with Liverpool was off to a fine start as he helped secure a Carling Cup final victory over Cardiff City.

By the end of 2011-12, Carroll's form alongside Luis Suarez ensured his name was being sung on the Kop.

A late winner at Ewood Park in April 2012 marked the start of a special few weeks for the striker, who wrote his name in Merseyside derby history with the winner in our FA Cup semi-final against Everton.

Carroll then came off the bench in the final against Chelsea, inspiring the previously languid Reds as they tried to overturn a 2-0 deficit. He scored one and had another cleared off the line but, although it wasn't to be for Liverpool, his own reputation had been greatly enhanced.

A month later he travelled to Poland and Ukraine for Euro 2012, where he featured three times and scored one goal - a picture perfect header against Sweden in the group stages. Sadly Carroll could not prevent England again slipping out of a major competition on penalties, this time in the quarter-finals versus Italy.