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Andy Carroll is desperate to gatecrash the title party at Manchester City and make ­Sunday memorable for his old club Liverpool – and Steven Gerrard in particular, writes Marc Isaacs in the Sunday People.

Carroll became the most expensive British footballer when he made the £35million move from Newcastle to the Reds back in January 2011.

Despite failing to produce his best form, the England striker says he will never forget his short spell at Anfield, where he still has a number of friends.

Carroll was taken aback by the passion that the Liverpool fans have for football and could see how much the club means to Gerrard.

Although City hold a two-point advantage going into the final game of the ­season, the West Ham hitman feels Brendan Rodgers’ team have played the best ­football this season and deserve to come out on top.

He knows what it would mean to the red half Merseyside if they could win the Premier League and will be doing everything he can to help the Hammers record a famous win over Manuel Pellegrini's men.

Carroll said: “I am hoping that Liverpool win the league and I will do my best to score at the Etihad. I have still got a lot of friends at the club and the lads were brilliant when I was up there.

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“To be honest, I think that Stevie Gerrard deserves to win the league. He has been there so long and the football they have played, they ­definitely deserve it.

“They are great fans and even when they were not winning the league or challenging up there, they were still fantastic. They stuck by the team and that is where they are now.”

It would be a fitting way for Carroll to finish the season if he could score the winner against City.

A heel injury forced him to miss the first half of the ­campaign, and the 25-year-old from Gateshead has only started 11 Premier League games.

But he is determined to sign off on a high note and says he has yet to show his best form for West Ham.

Carroll added: “I still feel there is a bit more to come from me. It takes time to get back your full ­fitness and although I feel fit, I know deep down I am not 100 per cent.

How the top of the Premier League stands

Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points Manchester City 37 26 5 6 100 37 +63 83 Liverpool 37 25 6 6 99 49 +50 81

“I need to play more matches. You can train all you want but you don’t get match-fit until you have played in a number of games.

“I am feeling good and have got through the games with no injuries or problems. I wish it was earlier in the season and that the games I have played so far were just pre-season because I feel ready to push on.”

With England manager Roy Hodgson announcing his squad for the World Cup on Monday, Carroll would love the chance to play in Brazil this summer.

Carroll appears to be challenging Rickie Lambert for the final striking place. And the 6ft 3in centre-forward hopes his experience of playing at Euro 2012 under Hodgson will work in his favour.

“I need to put myself about and hopefully get among the goals,” he said. “The manager obviously knows what I can do. I just need to keep working hard and hope for the best.

“It is up to the manager who he wants to pick and how he wants to play. He could have other options up there. No one really knows at this stage and it is just people talking. We have just got to wait until Monday to find out.

(Image: Reuters)

“When I have talked to him, he has always spoken highly of me. I enjoy training when I am with England and I know he has been at a few games watching, so I am positive about it.”

West Ham’s club record signing is certainly positive about his move to London and now feels fully at home living in the capital.

“As soon as I leave the ­training ground, I take my thoughts away from football,” said Carroll. “I like to go to West End shows, to nice ­restaurants and try to relax as much as I can.

"I don’t watch much football, unless I am at the training ground. Everyone talks about football here and I am out of the ­conversation. I like to talk about other things.

“If I go round to Kevin Nolan’s place, he has got Sky Sports News on all the time. I have to sit in the other room with the kids and watch what they’re watching... like Peppa Pig.

“I love it living down here.”

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