Marcus Bettinelli has Liverpool in his sights - provided Fulham beat Wolves in the FA Cup replay on Tuesday week.
The Whites shot stopper was the hero in the 0-0 draw that makes sure his club are in the hat for tonight’s draw, and wants to face his boyhood heroes in the fourth round.
Bettinelli will need to be as good at Molineux as he was in the first game. Shaun Hutchinson was first to thank the Whites number one when the defender gifted James Henry a second-half chance saved by the keeper just six yards out.
But Bettinelli reckoned his touch on to a post in the first 45 from Bakary Sako’s low drive was the better save of the two.
“The Sako shot was the better save, because I didn’t see it until late - there were a few people in the way," added the keeper.
“Hutchy was saying thank you to me after because it was his mistake, but that’s what I’m there for and he’s there for me when I make a mistake as well.”
The 22-year-old revealed fingers were pointed in the Fulham camp after the abject 2-0 defeat to Brighton last week as boss Kit Symons hinted, and insisted the Wolves draw was something back to pre-Christmas form that eased the club out of the Championship dropzone.
“I don’t think we’ve lost our mojo - we’re just going through a dry patch,” he explained.
“We know we didn’t create enough chances against Brighton and we had a long, hard look at ourselves in the week. We had stern words with ourselves and individuals and we put up the fight that was lacking in the previous game.”
With fingers crossed for a favourable draw and a win for Liverpool at AFC Wimbledon tonight, Bettinelli’s fine first season as Whites custodian will give his cake a cherry on top when he steps out at Anfield.
“Mum’s from Liverpool, and she was always a Red fan. Dad’s from the south and supports Millwall, but I was always a Liverpool fan," he said.
"I’ve always wanted to play at Anfield, and to go there would be great.”
