Ex-Liverpool man Jason McAteer feels that the Reds’ win over Blackburn Rovers in their FA Cup tie last night was a result of their intense desire to win, adding that Brendan Rodgers’ formation foxed Gary Bowyer.
The Reds headed into the match after successive losses in the Premier League to fellow top four rivals Manchester United and Arsenal had seen their challenge to qualify for next season’s Champions League weakened.
Rodgers’ men are currently occupying fifth spot in the table, seven points adrift of fourth placed Manchester City.
And McAteer, who made over 100 appearances for the Reds in the 1990s, feels that Rodgers’ side showed tremendous attitude during their 1-0 win over the Championship outfit to book their passage to the semi-final where they will face Aston Villa on 19th April.
“I think after our last couple of games we were all looking out to see if Liverpool were going to come out sulking tonight and how the body language is going to be and how the application and the desire and the attitude”, he told LFC TV.
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“And I have got to say that they came through that with flying colours. I think from the first whistle they matched Blackburn.
“We expected Blackburn to come out at Liverpool being at home with the crowd advantage.
“They were going to be right at it and to an extent they were but Liverpool matched them.”
The 43-year-old-old went on to add that Rodgers outfoxed Bowyer with a change in formation which the Blackburn manager failed to adapt his team to.
“[Liverpool] took total control in midfield, it was a different formation it might have foxed Gary Bowyer and Liverpool dominated possession.”
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