LONDON, March 21 (Reuters) - 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.