Liverpool 4, Bolton 0 - post match analysis

Dec 3 2007 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Harry Kewell – making only his second league start in 18 months and one of five changes from the team that beat Porto – played a clever through-ball that allowed Benayoun to skip beyond Bolton goalkeeper Juusi Jaaskelainen and cut back to Peter Crouch, only for the striker’s shot to be blocked on the line by Lubomir Michalik.

And Liverpool’s early enterprise paid dividends with the opener 12 minutes later. After Crouch had been fouled on the left, Gerrard swung in a free-kick that Hyypia reached ahead of Abdoulaye Meite to head powerfully past Jaaskelainen.

It was the big Finn’s first league goal since netting at Portsmouth in April and the 31st of his Anfield career, although he was aided by some surprisingly poor Bolton marking at a set-piece.

Crouch then nodded a Gerrard corner over at the far post before Torres fashioned a chance of his own, intercepting Ricardo Gardner’s intended pass to Ivan Campo and sprinting away from Michalik and firing across the face of goal.

However, Liverpool relaxed after taking the lead and that allowed Bolton, ever dangerous with the dead ball, the hope of working their way back into the game.

Alvaro Arbeloa did well in the 37th minute to avoid turning a low Kevin Davies cross into his own net with Diouf loitering, before Anelka bettered the Spaniard by posting his contender for miss of the season with a shot so poor it barely flirted with the side-netting.

Liverpool compounded the Trotters’ despair by scoring again in sublime fashion on the stroke of half-time.

Gerrard’s slide-rule pass from inside his own half allowed Torres to burst beyond the attention of Michalik and expertly clip a finish over the diving Jaaskelainen from an acute angle. Did somebody mention Kenny Dalglish against Bruges in 1978?

It effectively settled Bolton’s fate and Liverpool ran away with the game in the second half.

Crouch headed Riise’s corner inches wide and Jaaskelainen saved with his right foot from Gerrard after a flowing move initiated by Kewell.

But it was only delaying the inevitable, which arrived in the 56th minute when Meite grappled Crouch to the floor inside the area and Gerrard sent Jaaskelainen the wrong way to score from the spot.

Dutch substitutes Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel combined for the fourth goal four minutes from time, the former’s angled drive parried by Jaaskelainen into the path of the latter to tap home.

There was still enough time for Meite to clear another Babel effort off the line but the 1,700th top-flight league win in Liverpool’s history was assured long before then.

Benitez and his players march on.