Prediction: Liverpool vs Blackburn

Red-hot Liverpool go into the FA Cup quarter-final tie against Blackburn Rovers on the back of the impressive victory over Premier League holders Manchester City and they are rightly considered hot favourites to make it to the semis. The Championship side have already eliminated Swansea and Stoke, and they clearly have nothing to lose at Anfield.

It took Brendan Rodgers quite a while to get this season back on track, but once his players restored the lost confidence, they quickly started performing up to the standard that almost saw them lift the Premier League trophy last term. The manager’s decision to switch to 3-4-2-1 formation helped the team utilise their full potential, and with Daniel Sturridge slowly returning to his best, the Reds have every right to feel optimistic ahead of the final stretch of the season. Liverpool may have been eliminated from Europe, but that could prove a blessing in disguise as the team have seriously raised their Premiership form and difficult European games are the last thing they need at the moment. The Reds are still outside the top 4 positions despite winning nine of last eleven league matches, but if they continue playing like this, one of those Champions League berths will have their name written on it. At the same time, the Anfield outfit have got a perfect opportunity to lift the first major trophy since 2012 as they play host to Blackburn in the FA Cup quarter-finals, and there are absolutely no doubts that the Reds will take this game very seriously. Captain Steven Gerrard will have to settle for a place on the bench even if he proves his fitness, but Mamadou Sakho could return.

The 1994/95 season when Blackburn Rovers won the final of their three league titles seems like a distant past now, as the club have enjoyed little success since. The Ewood Park outfit did shock Tottenham Hotspur to lift the 2002 League Cup trophy, but they are currently going through a very rough patch. Blackburn have been plying their trade in the Championship since they were relegated from the Premier League in 2012, and while they came really close to taking part in the promotion play-offs, they are nowhere near the top 6 positions at the moment. With 11 games to go, Rovers sit 13 points behind sixth-placed Brentford, so it is perfectly clear they will not be leaving the Championship in the summer. However, team’s FA Cup campaign has been a real bright spot, with home wins over Premier League sides Swansea and Stoke seeing Gary Bowyer’s charges earn a quarter-final clash with Liverpool at Anfield. But, with the Reds playing their best football of the season, this is probably going to be the end of the road for the Lancashire side. Former Liverpool midfielder Jay Spearing is cup-tied, whereas Shane Duffy and Jason Lowe are not in contention.

Conclusion

Liverpool appear to be on top of their game at the moment and with Brendan Rodgers widely expected to field his strongest side on Sunday, the Reds should have no problems winning this tie. Blackburn did really well to go this far, but I cannot see them escaping defeat at Anfield.

Verdict: Liverpool/Liverpool

Best Odds: 3/4

Bookmaker: William Hill