Kewell's timing has been impeccable. The 28-year-old has missed much of the season with a variety of injuries, but has returned at the right time and has certainly made an impression on Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez.

Kewell's heroics in the final game of the Premier League against Charlton have put him squarely in the mind of Benitez, who is battling to manage fatigue in his players after such a long season.

Fatigue is certainly not an issue for Kewell, who has played just two matches since missing the final match of Australia's World Cup campaign against Italy in Kaiserslautern last June. Since that time he has undergone foot and groin operations.

In both matches, against Fulham and Charlton, he came on as a sub, but Benitez believes Kewell has the miles in his legs to run out 90 minutes. With Bolo Zenden still on crutches in the week leading up to the game, Kewell could be the man Benitez looks to down the left-hand side.

"We certainly have options on both wings, these are the areas I am having to consider carefully," Benitez said. "This involves Bolo, Harry and Jermaine [Pennant] and I have not yet made my decision."

"We looked at all the players in the training camp and in every training session people were talking about Harry Kewell. He played well for half-an-hour against Charlton but we needed to see whether he is fit and then decide if he can play from the start or not. There's a lot for me to decide yet."

Kewell has somewhat of a bad track record in major Cup finals having being subbed off in the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham and having limped off in the epic win over Milan in the Champions League final in 2005.

Meanwhile, Zeljko Kalac will fill his usual role as reserve goalkeeper for Milan in the match, and could be used if the match goes to penalties. Renowned as a spot kick stopper, Kalac has started in just three Italian Cup matches this year, with Brazilian Dida maintaining his vice-like grip on the number one jersey.

Should Kewell start or enter into the game at some stage he will probably be up against Milan right back Massimo Oddo...and then Gennaro Gattuso.

Sportal