Red Tide on the Mersey: Liverpool 3 - 1 Everton

Liverpool were victorious in a passionate and entertainment packed 203rd Merseyside derby.

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard was sent off after just 18 minutes and Everton substitute Andy van der Meyde followed with 18 minutes left.

A Phil Neville own goal, a Luis Garcia strike and Harry Kewell's cracker from 25 yards maintained Liverpool's grip on a game which saw Tim Cahill pull one back for Everton.

The defeat will be a severe embarrassment for Everton, who had high hopes of European qualification after just one league defeat since Christmas, but rarely got themselves into a game that should have been theirs for the taking after Gerrard's early departure.

Cahill's tackle from behind on Gerrard saw the first booking and the scene was set for a constant stream of cards.

Five minutes later Gerrard was in the book for kicking the ball into the Kop after Everton were awarded a free-kick.

A minute later Liverpool's skipper was off the pitch after his lunging tackle on Kilbane missed the ball and took the player.

Xabi Alonso was next into Dowd's book for a foul on Neville on 23 minutes before football broke out and Luis Garcia curled a fine effort from the right just over Richard Wright's bar.
It did not last long. Alan Stubbs and Kewell were then hauled out of a penalty box melee awaiting a free-kick, to both be booked.

A minute from the break Liverpool found themselves ahead. Alonso's near-post corner was headed into the far side of his own net by former Manchester United man Neville.

Liverpool would have settled for parity at the break after the previous incidents, but 99 seconds into the second period they were remarkably two goals to the good.

Reina's huge clearance down the right was flicked on by Crouch to allow Luis Garcia to clip the ball over Gary Naysmith and skip round the Scot before lifting a neat effort over Wright and into the net.

Dowd was kept busy booking Kilbane and Weir for fouls on Alonso and Sissoko. From the second free kick Alonso's effort clipped the bar.

Wright made a fine save to his left to keep out a Kewell effort before the game was reduced to 10 aside on 74 minutes when Van der Meyde was sent off for catching Alonso in the face with his elbow as the pair contested a high ball.

Then Ferguson became their eighth yellow card when he clattered Alonso in the back just a couple of minutes after the incident that saw Van der Meyde sent off.

Sami Hyypia had a header chalked off when the linesman signalled Crouch offside on 79 minutes.

Five minutes later, though, Liverpool sealed the points when Steve Finnan fed Kewell 25 yards out and the Australian casually launched a dipping drive into the top corner.

Magnificent Seven: Liverpool 7 - 0 Birmingham City

Liverpool 7 - 0 Birmingham City

Liverpool trashed Birmingham City 7-0 to book their place in their 22nd FA Cup semi-final.

The Brum were simply no match for the Merseysiders, who have now scored 14 goals in their last three games while recording their biggest ever away victory in the competition.

Steven Gerrard, who created three of the goals, and the goggled Mohamed Sissoko took full advantage of acres of space in midfield as England striker Peter Crouch grabbed a brace.

Clinical finishing in the first four minutes through Sami Hyypia and Crouch set the platform for Liverpool.

First, when an inswinging free-kick by Steven Gerrard was flicked on by Sissoko Hyypia made no mistake from close range after just 54 seconds. The home support had barely blinked when they found themselves 2-0 down.

Gerrard surged down the right flank and his powerful and dipping cross curled around the back of the Birmingham defence for Crouch to put a firm header into the back of the net.

Blues were in total disarray at this juncture and it seemed Liverpool might score almost everytime they ventured forward.

In a rare moment of danger for the visitors, Jamie Carragher produced an excellent block tackle to deny Mikael Forssell from Jermaine Pennant's low cross.

Benitez was forced to make a change after 21 minutes with Djimi Traore limping out of the action to be replaced by Harry Kewell.

But it made no difference to Liverpool's dominance and on 38 minutes Crouch struck for the second time with his 12th goal of the season.

The Blues defence could not cope with a mazy Luis Garcia run before he slipped the ball into the path of Crouch who tucked away his shot from 12 yards out.

Blues rallied briefly at the start of the second period but the goals soon started to flow again.

Substitute Fernando Morientes had the simplest task to net number four just before the hour mark from Gerrard's pass and a stinging 25-yard drive by John Arne Riise nine minutes later made it 5-0.

To add salt to injury, in the 77th minute when half-time substitute Olivier Tebily sliced a Kewell cross into his own net.

Djibril Cisse completed the rout in the final minute when his deflected shot crept underneath the body of Maik Taylor.