BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer believes it will be a ‘great opportunity’ for his players to come up against outgoing Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard on Sunday.

If the 34-year-old midfielder is passed fit for the quarter-final showdown it will be his final FA Cup appearance at Anfield before he signs for LA Galaxy in the summer.

Gerrard’s first FA Cup appearance at the home of the Reds also came against Rovers back in January 2000.

That day the Ewood Park outfit ran out 1-0 winners to progress to the fifth round.

Bowyer will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of then Rovers manager Tony Parkes and mastermind an Anfield shock.

But he would not be against seeing Gerrard, who has not played for a month because of injury, lining up for the opposition.

Bowyer said: “He’s a fantastic player and I’m sure he will want to try to finish his Liverpool career with some silverware.

“It’s a great opportunity for some of our players if he is playing to get up close and see how good he really is and learn from him.

“He’s had a fantastic career and it’s disappointing for English football that he is leaving to play in America.”

Gerrard, whose 35th birthday falls on the day of the FA Cup final, has made 702 appearances for Liverpool.

His first came against Rovers, on November 29, 1998, in a 2-0 Premiership win for the Reds at Anfield.