FA Cup / Editor / 19 February 2012 / 1

Hat-trick of own goals help Liverpool crush Brighton but Spurs can only draw and Stoke overcome early red card...

Liverpool's hopes of pulling off a Cup double are alive and well after they reached the quarter-final's of the FA Cup with a 6-1 victory over Brighton at Anfield.

The Reds, who play Cardiff in next Sunday's League Cup final, are [3.75] to win the FA Cup and, with a home tie against Stoke in the last eight, they will fancy their chances of progressing again.

Kenny Dalglish's team gave a lively attacking performance against their Championship opposition and took an early lead when defender Martin Skrtel headed home Steve Gerrard's corner. Kazenga Lua-Lua drilled Brighton level shortly afterwards but Chris Bridcutt's own goal just before half-time was a blow the away side never recovered from.

After the break, Andy Carroll finished off a sweeping move with great aplomb. Bridcutt was unlucky to score another own goal but the same can't be said of his team-mate Lewis Dunk who comically kneed the ball into his own net while attempting to play keepy-uppy inside the six yard box. Luis Suarez looked equally foolish when he saw his nonchalant penalty saved but he made ammends, heading-in four minutes later to reward those who backed over 6.5 goals at [23.0].

Tottenham are flying high in the Premier League at present but they found the FA Cup to be a great leveller as they failed to break down a stubborn Stevenage side.

At [1.11], the Lilywhites remain big favourites to reach the quarter-finals at the expense of their League One rivals but they will have to do so after a replay. The draw was matched at [6.6] for today's match and that proved value as the resilient home side held out at the Lamex Stadium.

Spurs might have won it in the second-half when Louis Saha had a goal controversially ruled out for offisde. However, this was a classic case of a lower division team making it difficult for top players on a bobbly pitch and,on balance, Stevenage deserved their draw. They, like those who backed 0-0 at [21.0], will be celebrating a big payout ahead of their lucrative replay at White Hart Lane. The winner of that match will play Bolton in quarter-finals. Spurs are trading at [3.55] to win the Cup.

At the start of the day, Stoke City looked the likeliest Premier League club to fall victim to an upset. That suspicion was compounded early on in their away tie against Crawley when Rory Delap was sent off for what looked like an innocuous challenge. The home side were immediately installed as favourites and the Potters drifted to 5.5 before goals from Jonathan Walters and Peter Crouch sealed their passage to the quarter-finals. Stoke, who reached the final last year, are [26.0] to go one better.

FA Cup quarter-final draw

Liverpool v Stoke

Chelsea/Birmingham v Leicester

Stevenage/Tottenham v Bolton

Everton v Sunderland

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1. Alex | 20 February 2012

   Stevenage vs Tottenham seems to be a fixed match. Think about it.

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