FA Cup Results: Biggest Takeaways from Liverpool's Win over Blackburn Rovers

After months of competition, the English FA Cup was finally whittled down to just four remaining teams Wednesday by virtue of Liverpool's 1-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers.

The Reds were heavy favorites to come out on top, and while it was far from a clinical performance, they did just enough to get past the Football League Championship side. When push came to shove, Liverpool's superior talent came through in the big moments to earn a semi-final berth.

On the heels of that exciting contest, here are the biggest takeaways that will have people talking leading up to the Reds' next FA Cup clash.

Philippe Coutinho Comes Through in the Clutch

Although Liverpool carried the play for much of Wednesday's match in terms of possession, neither club could find the back of the net. With the tilt reaching its final stages, somebody needed to step up and make a play when it mattered most.

The Reds were fortunate enough that they succeeded in that regard as forward Philippe Coutinho's finally broke the scoreless draw in the 70th minute with a strike from the right portion of the box.

It was a significant marker not only because it put Liverpool on top, but also due to the fact that Liverpool was in the midst of a lengthy FA Cup scoring drought, according to Squawka Football:

The Brazilian star hasn't done a ton of scoring for Liverpool this season with four goals in 28 EPL games, but he is a gifted player.

After watching him put Liverpool in front, 1-0, BBC's Gary Lineker couldn't help but be impressed:

The Reds have several players capable of pumping in goals, but it was Coutinho who emerged when nobody else could.

With Coutinho now in fine form, Liverpool could be in perfect position to hoist the FA Cup for the first time since 2006.

Simon Mignolet Stands Tall

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Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has been absolutely spectacular all season long for Liverpool, and Wednesday's match was no exception, as he made some very difficult saves to keep Blackburn Rovers off the scoreboard.

The Belgian star made four saves for the Reds, with all of them coming from close range. Liverpool experiences some defensive lapses that gave Blackburn an opportunity to take the lead or equalize on several occasions, but Mignolet was always up to the task.

Following his clean sheet, former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher was extremely complimentary of Mignolet's performance:

Although Mignolet had several good moments over the course of the match, his best came during stoppage time when opposing goalkeeper Simon Eastwood had a scoring chance after moving up into the play, according to Blackburn Rovers on Twitter:

Mignolet was calm and cool for well over 90 minutes despite the high stakes surrounding the match. That is something the Reds will continue to need moving forward.

The level of competition and pressure promise to increase, but Mignolet doesn't look as though he will have any trouble handling it.

Aston Villa Waiting in the Wings

Soccer fans have come to expect the unexpected in FA Cup play due to the long history of underdogs having success. When Liverpool and Aston Villa meet in the semi-finals, though, it will be a battle between two competent EPL sides.

With that said, there is no doubt that the Reds will be favored. They are fifth in the EPL standings as opposed to the Lions sitting in 16th, just a few points out of the relegation zone. The Villans have been playing some inspired soccer as of late, though, which should make for an interesting matchup.

Also, these two teams have a long and storied history against each other in FA Cup play, as pointed out by Andrew Beasley of the Tomkins Times:

Aston Villa could be an especially tricky opponent for Liverpool due to forward Christian Benteke's form. He is coming off a hat-trick against Queens Park Rangers, and he could prove quite difficult for the Reds to hold in check.

The Reds had a tough time against Blackburn Rovers, but they may not be as lucky in terms of escaping with a win against Aston Villa due to the firepower they possess.

Liverpool have to be extremely wary, and it should make for a fantastic semi-final.

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