Blackburn 0-1 Liverpool: Coutinho fires Reds to FA Cup semi-finals

Philippe Coutinho was again the savour of Liverpool’s FA Cup hopes as the Brazilian’s fine strike sealed a narrow victory over a spirited Blackburn Rovers in their sixth round replay at Ewood Park.

The Reds’ number ten was the standout star in what was a laboured performance from the Premier League side.

Coutinho has already been the hero for the Reds this term, with his sensational strike seeing off Bolton in a dramatic fourth round replay, and he again mustered a moment of magic which proved enough to set up a Wembley Stadium meeting with Aston Villa.

Having frustrated the Reds in their initial goalless draw at Anfield, Brendan Rodgers’ men again struggled to break down the stubborn Rovers, who set up with two banks of four players to limit their top flight opponents’ attacking threat.

A buzzing capacity crowd witnessed a cagey first half but Gary Gowyer’s charges twice went close to taking the lead in a rapid start to the second, with Simon Mignolet doing well to first palm away Tom Cairney’s stinging long range effort before turning Ben Marshall’s stooping header onto the post.

The best chances of the opening 45 fell to the visitors, with Joe Allen firing wide, Daniel Sturridge curling a shot over the crossbar and Coutinho seeing a low shot well saved by goalkeeper Simon Eastwood.

Blackburn’s attacking options were limited with Jordan Rhodes on his own up front, though the Scot did have a chance after beating an injured Mamadou Sakho – who was later replaced by Kolo Toure after picking up a hamstring problem – in the air, but could only send a header into the stands.

The hosts enjoyed some added impetus when Rudy Gestede, who wasn’t deemed fit enough to start, came off the bench, however it seemed only a matter of time until Liverpool, who piled on the pressure in the closing stages, broke through.

And with 20 minutes remaining, Coutinho, playing a neat one-two with Jordan Henderson from a short

 corner, found an inch of space in the box and made the most of it, smashing a low shot across the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner.

There was last minute drama when a late long throw-in led to Blackburn's best chance of the match, though through an unlikely source as goalkeeper Eastwood came close to a dramtic equaliser.

The shot-stopper, who had sprinted up the pitch to join his team-mates in the box, brought down the looped throw and sent a thumping shot towards goal, but Mignolet denied his counterpart with a strong one-handed save to secure Liverpool's place at Wembley.