Bolton 0, Liverpool 2: Pick your man of the match
Click here to pick your man of the match
WITH their game at the Reebok Stadium ending three hours before Chelsea's trip to West Bromwich Albion started, Liverpool threw down the gauntlet to their title rivals with victory in the Premier League's early kick-off.
Headed goals from Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard ensured Rafael Benitez's side leapfrogged Luiz Felipe Scolari's men at the summit.
After resting many of his star performers for the 4-2 midweek Carling Cup exit at Tottenham, Benitez's starting line-up had a more familiar look although record signing Fernando Torres dropped back to the substitutes bench with his manager claiming he is still two or three weeks' short of full match fitness.
Kuyt opened the scoring on 29 minutes with his back post header from Fabio Aurelio's left-wing cross giving Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen little chance.
Liverpool should have doubled their advantage just moments later but Robbie Keane somehow mis-kicked from point blank range after Kuyt had rolled the ball into his path.
There was controversy at the other end in first half stoppage time as Rob Styles ruled out a seemingly fine equaliser for the hosts when Gary Cahill headed in a Gavin McCann corner-kick.
The visitors survived another let-off just after the interval when Bolton substitute Ricardo Gardner was played through on goal and rounded Pepe Reina only to skew his shot wide in bizarre fashion to rival Keane's earlier miss.
However, Liverpool made sure of the points on 73 minutes when Torres, who had replaced Keane just before the hour mark, picked out Gerrard with an inviting lofted ball with the outside of his right foot and the skipper headed in.
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Rather pick the "miss" of the day. Put that together with his champions league game in Madrid plus a few others.
Hyypia provided our defence with aerial combat and positioning none could offer. He is a talisman, just short of pace.
Rob Styles was undoubtedly Man of the Match with Gerrard a close second. Steve Jackson
A good solid performance.Chances as good as we had must be taken though,it made it more difficult for us, but Bolton can be a difficult place.Alonso was superb with his vision and range of passing,it's good to see him back at his best.Come on you mighty reds.Roy.
Rob Styles man of the match? haha, very sarcastic!...i must admit i do think Bolton's goal should have stood but in the 1st half yesterday Liverpool totally dominated the game & should have been 3up before Bolton even got a sniff...in total we missed 3 open goals & struck the woodwork twice...so to say the referee was man of the match implies that you feel we wouldnt have won the game but for the referee's decisons! haha, what total nonsense, Liverpool deservdly won that game yesterday & it could & should have been 5 or 6!