text: Mario Balotelli hit back at those criticising his absence for Liverpool's FA Cup quarter-final win over Blackburn Rovers due to illness by attempting to prove he had a high temperature. Robbie Savage branded Balotelli 'pathetic' for missing the game, four days after he withdrew himself from the Liverpool squad  for their trip to Arsenal following a 'slight knock' suffered in training. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers revealed the £16million striker travelled with the squad to Blackburn, but that he felt too ill to take part after staying over in the hotel with his team-mates. Mario Balotelli responded to Robbie Savage's labelling of the Liverpool striker as 'pathetic' Balotelli was not included in the Liverpool squad to face Arsenal or Blackburn Rovers this week . Brendan Rodgers revealed Balotelli withdrew himself from the squad on Saturday and fell ill on Wednesday . Liverpool scraped through to a Wembley date with Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-finals thanks to Philippe Coutinho's strike. With 20 minutes remaining at Ewood Park, the Brazilian fired the ball across goal and past Rovers keeper Simon Eastwood. Click here to read Ian Ladyman's report . BT Sport pundit and former Blackburn midfielder Savage said: 'Pathetic isn't it? You're going to miss an FA Cup quarter-final? 'I don't know how unwell he is, but to miss an FA Cup quarter-final when you're feeling a bit ill? Nonsense. I would have to be really, really ill to miss that game.' Balotelli responded by posting a photograph of himself on Instagram, holding a thermometer reading 38.7 Celsius — 1.7C above 'normal' body temperature. Philippe Coutinho fires home the winner to send Liverpool into the FA Cup semi-final against Reading . Coutinho celebrates with his team-mates as Liverpool keep their dreams of winning a trophy alive . Mario Balotelli reported a temperature of 38.7C (101.66F) which is indeed above the normal body temperature of 37C (99.5F). The Liverpool striker may also have felt hot, sweaty, thirsty, very uncomfortable and slightly hungry. He may also have felt tired. Should body temperature reach 40C (104F), the person will be dehydrated and may suffer from vomiting and dizziness. With the snap, Balotelli wrote: 'Nothing stop me to watch my team winning. At least this time you know the real reason I am out. Miss the pitch so much #unluckyseason #YNWA #illbeback [sic].' Rodgers planned to use Balotelli for the FA Cup tie, but  admitted it was at the final moment his misfiring striker became unavailable. 'Mario travelled with us. He trained well, [but] fell ill last night,' Rodgers said ahead of the match which ended 1-0 to Liverpool. 'He stayed overnight with us in the hotel, [but] woke up still not feeling great. The doctors' advice was to send him back.' Balotelli's absence follows the Italian missing last Saturday's 4-1 defeat by Arsenal. The striker did not travel to the Emirates for the crunch clash after sustaining a hamstring injury in training on Friday. Rodgers said at the time: 'He trained on Friday afternoon with the team and he took a slight knock to his knee and he deemed himself not able to travel. 'I'm not a medic. He felt it was too sore to travel. The medical staff have looked at it. It was just something that he himself didn't feel comfortable enough to travel.' But Balotelli was reportedly later spotted with a group of friends at a private table at Manchester nightclub One Central Street. BT Sport pundit Savage feels it shows Balotelli's lack of determination to be absent for the FA Cup tie .
target: Mario Balotelli missed Liverpool's 4-1 defeat against Arsenal on Saturday .
  Balotelli was absent again at Blackburn due to illness, confirmed the club .
  BT Sport pundit Robbie Savage branded Balotelli 'pathetic' as a result .
  Balotelli responded by showing a thermometer reading 38.7C (101.66F)
  The Liverpool striker used the hashtags #unluckyseason and #illbeback .
  Liverpool beat Blackburn 1-0 thanks to Philippe Coutinho's winner .