Hoodoo laid to rest for Benitez

FA Premiership/ Liverpool 3 Bolton 0:Buried deep in Rafael Benitez' programme notes for this fixture was a warning Bolton did not heed. The Spaniard's pre-match observations had already touched upon the fact visiting sides seek to contain here, and now he wrote: "We are prepared to fight first and then play our football." As a forecast of this occasion, that was uncanny.

There was relief in victory. Liverpool may be familiar with overcoming Bolton at Anfield but, even though he has generally flourished since arriving from Valencia, Benitez has come to consider Sam Allardyce and his Wanderers as the last great mystery of English football. Their physical approach has dumbfounded him at times, particularly at the Reebok, but so emphatic was his own side's eventual dominance yesterday he can consider the hoodoo laid to rest.

The huff and puff stretched beyond the hour mark here, the hosts probing down either flank while Bolton's wheezing players retreated further into their shells, but the patience paid off.

Midway through the second half the visitors were prised apart. Jermaine Pennant suddenly revelled in new-found space against tiring opponents and Dirk Kuyt's relentless running yielded reward. Wanderers were torn apart and, in 83 breathless seconds, this game was surrendered.

"We knew the chances would come late on because both teams went into this game tired," said Benitez. "The wide areas were maybe the key. My wingers had to run behind their defenders, keeping them deep so they didn't have time to pass the ball. They kept them deep."

Just after the hour, Kuyt jinked away from two befuddled markers before slipping Pennant clear down the right. The winger's cross was angled behind the penalty spot but Peter Crouch, pulling away from Tal Ben Haim, whipped his elastic legs to connect on the volley and bury the ball beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen.

A scissor-kick to match that conjured against Galatasaray in the Champions League earlier in the season, it was Crouch's 10th goal of the Premiership campaign and his first in the league since the end of October.

While Bolton were still reeling, Kuyt and Pennant combined, the Dutchman flinging over a tantalising cross which Steven Gerrard, terrorising Nicky Hunt and Ben Haim, volleyed into the top corner from the edge of the area.

That was Liverpool's 12th attempt on target, their reward for the exercise in attrition undertaken in the opening period - the nearest they had come then was Steve Finnan's drive tipped smartly by Jaaskelainen on to the bar. Bolton had yet to muster even one.

Defeat here ended a run of five consecutive victories and Bolton have lost third place to Liverpool. For all the willing running of Nicolas Anelka and Kevin Davies, and the ruggedness of Abdoulaye Faye at the back, Bolton were heaving to contain the hosts in the latter stages. Luis Garcia's introduction further stretched Wanderers' backline as, fed by his fellow Spaniard Xabi Alonso, he wriggled away from three opponents to liberate Kuyt. The Dutchman held off Ricardo Gardner and squirmed a shot low beyond Jaaskelainen for his seventh goal of the season.

Had Jaaskelainen not conjured a save to defy belief from Sami Hyypia late on and Crouch not fluffed two free headers in front of goal, Bolton would have been dismissed to the tune of an Australian cricket score.

For Benitez there have been few afternoons as satisfying as this since he came to the Premiership. Allardyce had inflicted his first domestic defeat with Liverpool at the Reebok in the autumn of 2004, an afternoon which saw the new manager's expensive arrivals shocked by the pace and physicality of the occasion and Hyypia break his nose.

Since then the antipathy has simmered between these managers, Benitez grumbling at Wanderers' strong-arm tactics and descent into gamesmanship.

This was proof Liverpool can beat the likes of Bolton at their own game.

"Now we've got to keep this going and try and close this gap between us and the top two," said Gerrard.

• Guardian Service

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Pennant, Alonso, Gerrard (Aurelio 85), Gonzalez (Luis Garcia 69), Crouch, Kuyt (Fowler 85). Subs not used: Dudek, Agger.

BOLTON WANDERERS: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Faye, Ben Haim, Gardner, Campo, Nolan (Teymourian 81), Speed (Tal 66), Diouf (Vaz Te 66), Anelka, Davies. Subs not used: Al Habsi, Meite. Booked: Ben Haim, Campo, Faye.

Referee: G Poll(Hertfordshire).