Liverpool came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday, keeping alive the chances of captain Steven Gerrard finishing his career at the club with a final trip to Wembley Stadium.
Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana scored early in the second half as Liverpool fought back from conceding a 15th-minute goal to Fraizer Campbell at Selhurst Park.
West Bromwich Albion thrashed 10-man West Ham United 4-0 in another all-English Premier League encounter in the last 16, while second-tier Blackburn Rovers capitalized on the sending off of Stoke City defender Geoff Cameron to rally to a surprise 4-1 win. Reading won 2-1 at Derby County in a match between two second-tier sides.
Photo: AFP
If Liverpool reach the final on May 30, it would be Gerrard’s last game in the red jersey before he ends his career at Anfield and moves to US Major League Soccer team Los Angeles Galaxy.
The dream of raising one final trophy for his long-time club is still alive for the former England captain, who missed the Palace game with a hamstring injury.
Campbell put Palace ahead when he followed up to score after strike partner Dwight Gayle had a header parried by Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
Sturridge, starting for the second straight game on his return from five months out injured, met Jordan Henderson’s pass with a brilliant volley to equalize in the 49th minute. Lallana grabbed the winner from close range in the 58th minute after Mario Balotelli’s powerful free-kick was blocked. Nigeria striker Brown Ideye maintained his resurgent form at West Brom by scoring in either half in the convincing win over West Ham.
Ideye almost left West Brom in January, six months into a difficult first season, but stayed at the Hawthorns and has now netted in three straight games under recently hired manager Tony Pulis.
He put West Brom ahead in the 20th minute by turning in Craig Dawson’s cross, and made it 3-0 with a 57th-minute header from Stephane Sessegnon’s assist.
James Morrison scored the second in the 42nd minute and Saido Berahino completed the rout in the 71st minute, just after Morgan Amalfitano was sent off for West Ham for picking up a second yellow card for pushing West Brom midfielder Chris Brunt in the face.
Stoke went ahead at Ewood Park through Peter Crouch after 10 minutes, but conceded an equalizer to Josh King before Cameron got a straight red card just before half-time for fouling King in the area.
Rudy Gestede converted the penalty and King completed a hat-trick with two goals early in the second half.
Derby were also reduced to 10 men for the second half at home to Reading when left back Stephen Warnock earned a second yellow card in the 39th minute.
Hal Robson-Kanu’s goal for Reading was canceled out by Darren Bent, and former Everton and Middlesbrough striker Ayegbeni Yakubu — signed as a free agent during the winter transfer window — grabbed the winner with a left-foot shot in the 82nd minute.
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