Atlanta Soccer News: Art, Music and Culture: Liverpool striker Andy Carroll says his hell-raising days are behind him

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll says his hell-raising days are behind him as he focuses on living up to his £35 million price tag at Anfield.

Carroll delighted Liverpool fans on Saturday after scoring a late winner to send the Reds into the FA Cup final with victory over Everton.

It followed another late winning goal in Liverpool's league victory over Blackburn last week and offered further evidence that Carroll is settling on Merseyside after a difficult first full season.

The 23-year-old attracted criticism from then England managerFabio Capello last year who said the striker needed to "drink less".

However Carroll told several newspapers on Tuesday he had changed his ways.

"My past is my past. I changed my lifestyle when I came to Liverpool and settled down. I love it here," Carroll said.

"People will say to me, 'Oh, you were in the boozer last week' but it is just rumours going round.

"Now I just laugh it off. To be honest, I don't go out at all. All I do now is sit in the house with my girlfriend, chill out and watch movies."

Carroll meanwhile said he will continue to improve next season provided he starts regularly.

"I am confident in myself that, if I am playing games, I will score goals and put myself about," he said.

"I cannot really do that if I am on the bench and coming on in the last 10 minutes of games.

"What I want is to start games and put myself about like I know I can. When I haven't been playing, you get low on confidence."