Liverpool 3 - 0 Bolton Wanderers
Double for Keane
| Scoring Summary | |
| Liverpool | Bolton Wanderers |
| Alberto Riera (26) | |
| Robbie Keane (53) | |
| Robbie Keane (58) | |
| Match Stats | ||
| Liverpool | Bolton Wanderers | |
| Shots (on Goal) | 23(6) | 2(1) |
| Fouls | 9 | 13 |
| Corner Kicks | 16 | 3 |
| Offsides | 4 | 0 |
| Time of Possession | 74% | 26% |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 3 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 1 | 3 |
| Match Information |
|
Stadium:
Anfield, England
Attendance: 43,548 Match Time: 15:00 UK Official(s): Alan Wiley (Referee) |
| Teams | |
| Liverpool | Bolton Wanderers |
| 25 Pepe Reina | 22 Jussi Jaaskelainen |
| 5 Daniel Agger | 31 Andrew O'Brien |
| 4 Sami Hyypia | 5 Gary Cahill |
| 22 Emiliano Insua | 3 Jlloyd Samuel |
| 23 Jamie Carragher | 15 Gretar Rafn Steinsson |
| 14 Xabi Alonso | 6 Fabrice Muamba |
| 8 Steven Gerrard | 19 Gavin McCann |
| 11 Alberto Riera | 4 Kevin Nolan |
| 15 Yossi Benayoun | 11 Ricardo Gardner |
| 7 Robbie Keane | 7 Matthew Taylor |
| 18 Dirk Kuyt | 9 Johan Elmander |
| Substitutes | |
| 20 Javier Mascherano | Kevin Davies 14 |
| 19 Ryan Babel | Riga Mustapha 17 |
| 31 Nabil El Zhar | Ali Al Habsi 26 |
| 1 Diego | Ebi Smolarek 10 |
| 24 David Ngog | Chris Basham 30 |
| 32 Stephen Darby | Danny Shittu 24 |
| 21 Lucas | Tope Obadeyi 35 |
| Substitutions | |
| Nabil El Zhar for Alberto Riera (69) | Kevin Davies for Jlloyd Samuel (45) |
| Lucas for Steven Gerrard (73) | Riga Mustapha for Matthew Taylor (67) |
| David Ngog for Dirk Kuyt (77) | Ebi Smolarek for Johan Elmander (67) |
| Yellow Cards | |
| Daniel Agger (57) | Kevin Nolan (44) |
| Gretar Rafn Steinsson (46) | |
| Gavin McCann (81) | |
| · Club Squads: Liverpool | Bolton Wanderers | |
Updated: December 26, 2008, 5:36 PM UK
Liverpool went back to the top of the Premier League with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Bolton at Anfield.Chelsea's victory earlier in the day put the London side in pole position until Robbie Keane's double and a goal from Albert Riera ensured the Reds went back to the head of the pack.
The win meant Liverpool have completed all of 2008 unbeaten at home in the league.
Missing Alvaro Arbeloa with a hamstring injury, manager Rafael Benitez re-jigged his back line, moving Jamie Carragher to right-back with Sami Hyypia slotting into the centre of defence.
Liverpool also restored Yossi Benayoun to midfield at the expense of Lucas, who was joined on the bench by fit-again Javier Mascherano, now recovered from an illness which meant he missed last weekend's game against Arsenal.
In-form Bolton - who have won three of their last five games - made one change from the side that beat Portsmouth last weekend, bringing in battling midfielder Fabrice Muamba for Kevin Davies, who was on the bench.
Benitez today sat in the directors' box after missing the game at the Emirates Stadium while recovering at home from a kidney stone operation. And he looked to have second-guessed Bolton boss Gary Megson.
In Liverpool's win at the Reebok earlier in the season, Steven Gerrard was man-marked by Muamba.
But Gerrard was playing much deeper in an orthodox 4-4-2, away from the attentions of Muamba.
Bolton had the first chance when Kevin Nolan almost chipped Jose Reina in the opening minute, but Liverpool were soon having plenty of possession, with Riera and Hyypia both going close.
Then youngster Emiliano Insua forced a fine save from Jussi Jaaskelainen with a low drive from the edge of the box.
Riera opened the scoring when he poked in a Gerrard corner after 26 minutes.
Trailing by that single goal at half time, Bolton sent on Davies for Jlloyd Samuel and Gretar Steinsson was cautioned within a minute of the break for a foul on Xabi Alonso.
The defender then flattened Riera seconds later, and referee Alan Wiley dished out a long lecture.
But all Megson's half-time words were wasted after 53 minutes when Keane grabbed the second. Gerrard fed a fine pass into his stride and the Irishman moved on to score past Jaaskelainen.
Agger was booked for a foul on Johan Elmander after 57 minutes, and 60 seconds later Keane hit his second and Liverpool's third.
Alonso broke from his own half, fed Benayoun on the right, with the wide man playing the ball straight into Keane's path to sidefoot home.
Bolton sent on Mustapha Riga and Ebi Smolarek for Matthew Taylor and Elmander after 66 minutes.
Liverpool were able to make a number of changes thanks to their comfortable lead - Riera, Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt all taken off with Sunday's trip to Newcastle in mind.
Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee insists the club have never had any doubts over the qualities of £20milliion striker Robbie Keane.
He said: "Robbie Keane scored twice, that's terrific, but I just like seeing any Liverpool player scoring goals. Keane, Kuyt, Hyypia, I don't mind, just as long as they are Liverpool goals."We don't feel that Robbie has been out of form, despite what people keep saying. He has been working hard, tirelessly for the team, and that is the measure of the lad that he has kept on going."People have said things about him, but we know why we brought him to the club and we have had no problems at all with him, whatsoever."I do not feel he has ever lacked confidence here, he has kept going and done well. We have had no doubts in Robbie's ability or his work-rate, and what he adds to this club is immense."We know the quality of the boy, we know what he is capable of and what he is doing for us and what he adds to the club. There is no problem with him here.''Bolton boss Gary Megson saw, in his words, his team "cut apart like a knife through butter''.Bolton had won three of their previous five league games, but were never in with a shout at Anfield.Megson said: "That was a very disappointing result. We had set out to keep things tight early on, and hoped to catch them on the break."But we only troubled them in the opening few minutes. I was concerned by the manner of the goals we conceded."One came straight from one of our own corners, it went from their 'keeper to the back of our net in about six seconds. To concede a goal like that is not acceptable at this level."We set up to flood midfield with players, but changed that system when it clearly wasn't working."But we did not want to play 4-4-2 at Anfield, because Liverpool go through you like a knife through butter when you do that."And that is what happened a few times in the second half when we did try to push more men forward.''Friday, December 26, 2008
| Stoke City | 0 | |
| Manchester United | 1 | FT |
| Chelsea | 2 | |
| West Bromwich Albion | 0 | FT |
| Portsmouth | 1 | |
| West Ham United | 4 | FT |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | |
| Fulham | 0 | FT |
| Liverpool | 3 | |
| Bolton Wanderers | 0 | FT |
| Manchester City | 5 | |
| Hull City | 1 | FT |
| Middlesbrough | 0 | |
| Everton | 1 | FT |
| Sunderland | 0 | |
| Blackburn Rovers | 0 | FT |
| Wigan Athletic | 2 | |
| Newcastle United | 1 | FT |
| Aston Villa | 2 | |
| Arsenal | 2 | FT |