Reds look to fill their boots
FA Cup by george rae
LIVERPOOL have found their goalscoring boots in the past week and should prove too strong for struggling Birmingham City in their FA Cup quarter-final clash at St Andrews on Tuesday night.
Six goals in 11 matches is all Liverpool had to show from a dreary sequence stretching back to February 1, but that drought has come to an end in some style. First, the Reds thrashed Fulham 5-1 and then, on Sunday, Rafael Benitezās team saw off Newcastle United 3-1.
Peter Crouch, who had been struggling for goals, found the back of the net in each match, while Robbie Fowler (first goal since his return from Manchester City), Fernando Morientes (first strike for more than three months) and Djibril Cisse (first goal of 2006) were also celebrating.
The FA Cup realistically represents Liverpoolās last chance of silverware and, with their forwards once more having a spring in their step, a semi-final place looks theirs for the taking. Stan James and totesport make them 4-6, while Skybet make them 13-8 to be ahead at half-time and full time.
Birmingham are 5-1 with Bet365, but their priority has to be survival in the Premiership. They are languishing in the bottom three of the table and, nursing a number of injuries, this competition is a distraction that they could do without.
Steve Bruce fielded his strongest line-up his team for the last round when Blues beat Stoke, but it would be no surprise if he rested one or two players this time because his men have picked up just one point from their past three league matches and have fixtures against Manchester United, Chelsea and Bolton looming.
Correct-score backers should consider splitting their stakes on Liverpool winning 2-0 (13-2 with Coral) or 3-0 (12-1 with Paddy Power).
