Blackburn 0-1 Liverpool: Emre Can reaches FA Cup semi-final

Martin Tyler

Liverpool booked a place in the FA Cup semi-final following a 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers.

Coutinho scored the winning goal on 70 minutes to eliminate Blackburn from the competition.

Emre Can missed the game through suspension after picking up his first red card since joining Liverpool in the summer from Bayer Leverkusen.

Can is expected to return to the Reds back-three after serving his suspension and likely to play in the semi-final tie against Aston Villa in the next round.

Liverpool were also without Martin Skrtel in defence. Brendan Rodgers was forced to play Dejan Lovren alongside Mamadou Sakho and had to change his usual back-three to a more traditional back-four.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was also suspended and striker Mario Balotelli missed the game due to injury.

The Reds take on Newcastle United next in the Premier League on Monday 13 April.

Blackburn 0-1 Liverpool

Liverpool: Mignolet, Johnson, Lovren, Sakho, Henderson, Lucas, Allen, Moreno, Sterling, Coutinho, Sturridge.

Substitutes: Jones, Toure, Lambert, Manquillo, Borini, Brannagan, Markovic.

Blackburn: Eastwood, Henley, Baptiste, Kilgallon (c), Olsson, Conway, Williamson, Evans, Marshall, Cairney, Rhodes.

Substitutes: Steele, Spurr, Songo’o, Nyambe, Lenihan, Mahoney, Gestede.