STEWART DOWNING admits he has had a “culture shock” dealing with the pressure and scrutiny of playing for Liverpool FC.

But the winger remains determined to make a success of his LFC career and is desperate to be given a starting role in Sunday’s Carling Cup final against Cardiff City at Wembley.

Downing has endured a difficult time since his much-vaunted £20million arrival from Aston Villa last summer, resulting in the 27-year-old recently losing a regular place in the side.

The England international has scored only once, while the cross for Andy Carroll’s goal in last weekend’s 6-1 FA Cup romp against Brighton and Hove Albion was remarkably his first direct assist of the campaign.

And Downing concedes the demands at Anfield have far outstripped anything he had previously envisaged.

“I expected pressure but I didn’t expect it to be as big as it has been,” he said. “You are under the microscope every day; every game people are looking at you.

“It has been a bit up and down. There have been some good games, some indifferent ones. I have been on the bench sometimes, whereas at other clubs I have been used to playing every week more or less.

“That has been hard to get used. It has been a little bit of a culture shock, almost. But I have adapted to that and you just have to be ready when you get called upon to play.

“But that is Liverpool and that is why you want to be here. You have got to blank everything out. You want to be at a club that is challenging every week and is pushing you on as a player.

“You want to play in finals. We have got one to look forward to and got a hell of a chance to reach another. If we beat Stoke (in the FA Cup), we will be back at Wembley.”

While Downing has started Liverpool FC’s last two games, he has played a full 90 minutes only three times since the New Year.