Bolton 0, Liverpool 2: Proof that Reds mean business

Captain Steven Gerrard could afford to break into a grin when he sealed the points with the visitors' second goal but he often looks as though he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders as well as the hopes and expectations of his team.

Robbie Keane looked like a crestfallen figure when he saw number seven appear on the fourth official's board for the 14th time in 16 games he's started this season and will still be smarting from missing a first half sitter.

Even his replacement Fernando Torres - who teed up Gerrard's goal with a deliciously languid swat with the outside of his right boot - is going around muttering under his breath like somebody has hidden his Lord of the Rings DVDs, presumably because he's champing at the bit to return to the starting line-up following his recent injury frustrations.

Jamie Carragher, such a warm and jovial character off the pitch, is rapidly becoming the Anfield version of Yosemite Sam when playing.

Following on from his verbal volley directed towards a terrace know-it-all in the Kemlyn Road Stand a week earlier, the defender blew his top again at Bolton when Xabi Alonso kicked the ball into touch so that the injured Fabio Aurelio could receive attention at a time when Liverpool had been building a promising attack.

At least he wears his heart on his sleeve and the passion comes from a feeling that Carragher - who turns 31 in January - will never have had a better chance to become a league champion and complete his medal collection.

And then there's poor Daniel Agger.

The Dane will have been reluctant to show off those pearly whites after the game given that he lost one colliding into a post when covering a shot from Ricardo Gardner that the Jamaican had inadvertently hit wide anyway.

But then again, no centre-half in the British game worth his salt hasn't lost the odd tooth - this was Bolton after all and at least it wasn't caused by a flailing elbow.

If this is the year that number 19 comes to Anfield after a 19-year wait then the record book will record Saturday's trip to the Reebok as a 2-0 victory and a seemingly routine win. Yet those bare facts hide the reality of this contest.

In a similar vein to their recent Premier League trip to White Hart Lane when they surrendered their unbeaten record, Liverpool carved open enough guilt-edged opportunities to have this game well won and will be relieved that their profligacy in front of goal did not cost them any points on this occasion.

Benitez's players will also be relieved by the actions of referee Rob Styles, who was refereeing a Trotters game for the first time since he gave a controversial penalty against them at Old Trafford in September after Jlloyd Samuel had tackled Cristiano Ronaldo fairly.

The Hampshire official further incensed Wanderers on this occasion by chalking off a Gary Cahill equaliser in first-half stoppage time for a supposed foul on Pepe Reina ensuring that he remains below even Gary Megson in the Bolton popularity stakes.

After making wholesale changes for the midweek 4-2 defeat at Tottenham in the Carling Cup, Benitez made two alterations in personnel to the side that started the last Premier League outing a week earlier against West Bromwich Albion.

With Alvaro Arbeloa serving a one-match suspension after picking up five bookings, Sami Hyypia stepped into the back four with Carragher switching to right-back while Alonso replaced Yossi Benayoun in midfield.

There was also a further tactical switch from the 3-0 defeat of Tony Mowbray's side though as Benitez switched from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 as Dirk Kuyt moved from an orthodox striking role to the right wing leaving Keane on his own up front with Gerrard playing just behind him. Kuyt had already rattled Jussi Jaaskelainen's left-hand post following a one-two with Gerrard before he opened the scoring in the 28th minute.

In a move which started down the left, Albert Riera saw his initial cross blocked by Matt Taylor only for Aurelio to swing in the rebound, finding Kuyt at the back post with the Dutchman nodding powerfully across goal into the Bolton net.

Just moments later Liverpool should have doubled their lead but Kuyt this time turning provider, Keane somehow missed from point blank range, scuffing a simple effort after a low ball across the box fell to his feet.

Although the hosts had hardly threatened the visitors' goal in the first half there seemed little wrong with their disallowed equaliser by Cahill in stoppage time but replays suggest that the eagle-eyed Styles could have spotted a possible foul by home skipper and lifelong Liverpool fan Kevin Nolan on Pepe Reina.

At the break, Megson decided to write off Fabrice Muamba's attempted man-marking job of Gerrard as a bad job and introduced Gardner. The Jamaican looked immediately lively but also showed why his goal against Manchester City earlier this month was his first in domestic football for almost six years.

Played through by a inch-perfect diagonal pass by Gavin McCann which took out Hyypia, Gardner was through on goal and rounded Reina only to somehow skew his effort wide in a miss to rival Keane's earlier effort.

The aforementioned Irishman was then withdrawn by Benitez and given that his replacement Torres is supposedly not match fit, the ex-Atletico Madrid striker didn't do badly.

Immediately Bolton's defence became stretched as Torres carved out a low cross from the right for the onrushing Gerrard but Liverpool's captain was unable to make proper contact at full stretch and his effort went wide.

There were no such problems next time around though as Torres chased down Andy O'Brien and robbed the home centre-back of possession before picking out his skipper with an audacious flick enabling Gerrard to convert with a diving header.

By now it was end-to-end stuff and Jaaskelainen had to be at his brilliant best to save a powerful 25-yard effort by Alonso while in the Liverpool box, Gardner kept up his woeful finishing by volleying over the bar after being picked out by a Kevin Davies up and under.

Torres then hit the outside of Bolton's left-hand post with a blazing effort following fellow substitute Lucas's drag back while the Brazilian also wasted a good opportunity in the final seconds when he headed wide from Gerrard's deep right wing cross.

They might be joint top of the table but Benitez believes that Liverpool still have plenty of room for improvement.

If that's so then the rest of the Premier League better watch out because then everyone will be smiling at Anfield.