The Reds were already a goal down in their quarter-final when Crouch was dismissed for an uncharacteristic two-footed lunge at Chelsea midfielder Mikel John Obi.

They never threatened to get back into the match thereafter and eventually went down 2-0 as Andriy Shevchenko added a second goal to Frank Lampard's deflected opener for the hosts.

Benitez, however, felt his England forward lost his temper only because he was goaded by the physical sniping of the man he fouled.

"The big difference was the sending-off of Crouch," the Liverpool boss told Sky Sports.

"Two times he [Mikel] was trying to kick him - and if you [the referee] protect him you avoid the sending-off.

"When you have a player behind you kicking you twice, sometimes you lose your head."

With Crouch gone, Benitez had little hope - and so it proved.

"This decision finished the match. We were playing with 10 players against a good team, losing 1-0," he pointed out.

Benitez was impressed, though, with Liverpool before they became depleted.

"The performance of the team was really good," he said.

"I am really pleased with my team, who played really well and created chances against a good team."

Lampard was delighted with Chelsea's battling victory.

"Both teams had chances - we had the better of them," he said.

"Credit to the two goalkeepers, with two great saves in the first half.

"But we felt if we kept going we would get a goal. You make your own luck; I got a bit, and it looped into the far corner.

"They are a good side - and when you get through in the quarter-finals of the cup it is a huge game."

Chelsea boss Avram Grant insisted his side were worthy winners tonight.

"Before the red card, we were 1-0 up and we dominated the game so I think we deserved the win," he said.

Grant also believes Crouch deserved to be sent off.

"I don't like to speak about referees but I think it was bad tackle on Mikel," he said.

Asked whether he felt the striker was provoked, Grant added: "I just know Peter Crouch did what he did. He got a red card, this is a decision from the referee."

After hearing his side had drawn Everton in the semi-final, Grant said: "Any game in the semi-final is not easy but it's two games so anything can happen. I hope we will be in the final.

"Everton are a very good team this year, a good season for them. It's not easy to play against them.