(Adds Sissoko detail, Bruce quote)
By Rex Gowar
LONDON, March 21 - Liverpool scored twice in the
opening five minutes on the way to a club record 7-0 rout of
Birmingham City in an embarrassingly one-sided FA Cup
quarter-final at St Andrew's on Tuesday.
Lanky England striker Peter Crouch netted twice for
six-times winners Liverpool, who joined West Ham United in the
last four after the London club beat Manchester City 2-1 on
Monday.
Chelsea are at home to Newcastle United on Wednesday and
Middlesbrough visit Charlton Athletic on Thursday in the other
quarter-finals. The semi-final draw is on Friday.
Liverpool have scored 15 goals in their last three matches
after only two in their previous five and manager Rafa Benitez
told Sky Sports: "Today, every time we shot it was a goal.
"Sometimes you need luck (to score). We have quality, the
strikers are really good, we needed luck."
It was Liverpool's biggest away win in the FA Cup and equal
second biggest at any ground after their 8-0 home victory over
Swansea in January 1990.
Tuesday's match had barely started when Steven Gerrard
floated in a free kick from the left, Mohamed Sissoko nodded the
ball on and unmarked defender Sami Hyypia headed home for the
visitors.
Mali midfielder Sissoko was making his first appearance,
wearing protective glasses, since an injury to his right eye
exactly a month ago that had initially threatened to end his
career.
Crouch made it 2-0 when his header from Gerrard's right-wing
cross was parried by Maik Taylor but the keeper could not
prevent the ball from crossing the line.
The 25-year-old Crouch notched his fourth goal in three
games seven minutes before the interval when he steered the ball
past Taylor after Luis Garcia had slipped a perfect pass into
his path.
"Once you get a couple they seem to go in a lot easier,"
said Crouch.
GOAL GLUT
Fernando Morientes, who came on for Crouch in the 56th
minute, added the fourth following a dummy by Garcia.
Left back John Arne Riise struck a blistering fifth 20
minutes from time after running on to a neat flick from Gerrard.
Seven minutes later, City substitute Olivier Tebily tried to
block Harry Kewell's low cross but only succeeded in turning the
ball into his own net.
One minute from time, Taylor let a shot from the right by
substitute Djibril Cisse slip under his body for the seventh,
rounding off a nightmare evening for the home side who are also
fighting for survival in the Premier League.
"It's damaged us, let's hope not beyond repair," said City
manager Steve Bruce.
The few chances Birmingham had were firmly dealt with by the
steady Liverpool defence and goalkeeper Jose Reina.
Liverpool's England centre-back Jamie Carragher made a fine
tackle on Mikael Forssell as the striker threatened to score
midway through the first half and Jamie Clapham was just wide of
the far post with a shot on the stroke of halftime.
Forssell was on target in the 63rd minute but his stinging
shot on the turn was parried by Reina.