West Ham United's Lionel Scaloni (L) is challenged by Bolton Wanderers Ricardo Gardner (R) during their FA Cup fifth round soccer match at Upton Park in London, yesterday. - REUTERS
LONDON (AP)
WEST HAM BEAT Bolton 2-1 in an FA Cup fifth-round replay to set up a quarter-final with Manchester City and Robbie Fowler scored his first goal in nine games since his return to Liverpool, helping the Reds beat Fulham 5-1 in the English Premier League.
In next week's other FA Cup quarter-finals, Chelsea host Newcastle, Liverpool go to Birmingham, and Middlesbrough visit Charlton.
Four days after Bolton outplayed West Ham 4-1 in Premier League action, the Hammers knocked the Wanderers out of the Cup with the help of a crazy own-goal.
Marlon Harewood broke down the right and there seemed no real danger when his low cross came to Nicky Hunt. The Bolton defender could have left goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen to deal with the cross but he decided to concede a corner only for the ball to bounce off the keeper and into an empty net.
In was 1-1 in the 31st minute when West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker gave the ball away in his own half. It came to Kevin Davies, whose bending shot brushed the fingertips of Hammers goalkeeper Shaka Hislop on its way into the net.
In the second half, Hunt blocked a goalbound shot from Matthew Etherington and Bolton's Henrik Pedersen and Davies both missed from close range.
Harewood regained the lead for the Hammers when he turned home a cross from Yossi Benayoun in the 96th minute and Shaka Hislop made a reflex block from Pedersen to preserve West Ham's lead.
Bobby Zamora should have added a third but headed over the bar with only Jaaskelainen to beat.
Fowler had 120 goals in 236 appearances during his first nine-year spell with Liverpool. His 16th-minute header spurred Fernando Morientes and Peter Crouch also to score their first league goals of 2006.
Fulham midfielder Michael Brown turned the ball into his own net and Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock added a fifth. Collins John's reply for Fulham was a first-half equaliser before Liverpool took control.
The victory moved Liverpool within two points of second-place Manchester United, while Fulham stayed two places above the relegation zone.
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez dismissed speculation that he had signed a new deal with Liverpool but said talks were ongoing. He was two years into a five-year contract.
"We are talking about the future," he said. "I have three years left on my contract here so there is no hurry, I have not signed anything."
Liverpool's recent lack of scoring led to last week's elimination from the European Champions League and some poor performances in the English league. But Fowler led the feast of goals at Anfield.
Luis Garcia flicked on Harry Kewell's cross to Fowler, who headed into the net in front of the Kop fans who had made him one of their all-time greats.
Fulham equalised nine minutes later when Liverpool lost possession and Mark Pembridge found Collins John with plenty of space to shoot past Pepe Reina.
But Liverpool regained the lead in the 34th when Garcia fed Kewell on the left and the Australian's low cross was turned into his own net by Brown.
Morientes scored the third in the 71st when goalkeeper Tony Warner blocked Djibril Cisse's header and the Spaniard netted his first goal of 2006 from six metres.
Crouch turned home a cross from Gerrard with two minutes to go and Warnock's 25-meter strike completed Fulham's misery.
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