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.