BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer says his side have helped put the ‘romance’ back into the FA Cup.

Rovers will go into tonight’s massive quarter-final replay against Liverpool at Ewood Park attempting to knock out a third Premier League team, after dispatching of Swansea City and Stoke City, and set-up a last-four showdown with another, Aston Villa.

And Bowyer said: “It’s always been a great competition, growing up as a kid you watched it and then went out and played and tried to be like them.

 “It’s a fantastic competition and I think this year it’s got its real romance back with Bradford beating Chelsea, Middlesbrough winning at Man City, ourselves, Reading.

 “It’s got its romance back and what it’s all about.

 “We have enjoyed the run and we want it to continue.

“We know what we’ve got to do get to Wembley and that’s beat an unbelievably talented Liverpool side.”

Rovers came close to doing that at Anfield last month during the initial tie between the teams.

While Liverpool had most of the ball they would have lost had Craig Conway not wasted an excellent first-half opportunity and had Simon Mignolet not saved superbly from Alex Baptiste after the break.

Bowyer said: “We’re going to have to display the concentration we showed at Anfield but we’ve got to try and threaten their goal.

“I thought Mignolet made the save of the game from Baps’ header so we know we can be a threat from set-plays.

“In open play we’ve got to try and be a little bit braver with the ball and try and create something.

“The players can go out there and play with freedom.”