Liverpool rely on late goals from Sterling and Coutinho to beat Bolton

Bolton 1 Liverpool 2

The prospect of signing off from English football at Wembley on his 35th birthday lives on for Steven Gerrard. With five minutes remaining of a gruelling FA Cup fourth-round replay, the Liverpool captain’s FA Cup story was ending on Burnden Way, Bolton. But Wembley Way remains in Liverpool’s path after a stunning finale at Bolton Wanderers.

Neil Lennon’s team were down to 10 men following the dismissal of Neil Danns but a goal up courtesy of 36-year-old Eidur Gudjohnson as the clocked ticked down towards a fifth-round tie at Crystal Palace. But Liverpool’s pressure and a few touches of class told. Raheem Sterling volleyed in an 85th-minute equaliser from close range before Philippe Coutinho marked his new five-year contract with a dipping finish in off the crossbar in stoppage time. Relief for Brendan Rodgers but a night of regret for his fellow Ulsterman in the opposite dugout.

Lennon felt that playing away from home might suit Liverpool given Bolton would be inclined to take more risks in the replay and leave more spaces as a consequence. Rodgers claimed the Macron Stadium’s “beautiful pitch” – a point he has stressed about several opposition grounds lately as his frustration grows with the Anfield surface – would also work to the Premier League side’s advantage. The script never unfolded that comfortably for Liverpool. The task of breaking down a well-drilled, hard-working Championship opponent was just as complicated as at Anfield, and Bolton posed a greater threat on home soil.

Rodgers said his team selections would demonstrate Liverpool’s intent in the cup competitions this season and there was no disguising the importance of the FA Cup here. Little precaution was taken against the Merseyside derby at Everton on Saturday as the Liverpool manager made only two changes to the team that started against West Ham United last weekend. Jordan Henderson began on the bench, Lucas Leiva was given the night off completely, and the central midfield duties were handed over to the fit-again Gerrard and Joe Allen.

The bigger selection surprise arrived from Bolton’s manager, however, who deployed a similar formation to the game at Anfield but shunted captain Matt Mills up from central defence to centre forward in place of the injured Emile Heskey. Lennon evidently detected an aerial flaw in Liverpool’s back three and a means to disrupt their play by harrying their defenders at every opportunity. It had a measure of success before half-time but, as at Anfield, by far the clearer chances fell to Liverpool.

Gerrard, who missed the win over West Ham due to a tight hamstring, had the first opportunity of the night when Sterling and Adam Lallana combined neatly on the edge of the Bolton area, a routine that almost succeeded several times in the first half. The Liverpool captain’s low shot from inside the area was held comfortably by Andy Lonergan, back in goal following an ankle ligament injury suffered by the man of the match in the first meeting, Adam Bogdan.

Sterling was central to Liverpool’s brightest moments in attack. Lonergan did well to save a Sterling shot at full-stretch after the England international played a slick one-two with Lazar Markovic and raced clear of the home defence. Bolton’s goalkeeper did even better to save bravely at Markovic’s feet from the rebound. He was, however, beaten by Liverpool’s lightning forward on the half-hour when the youngster collected Lallana’s pass into the area and Dorian Dervite stood off and invited him to shoot. It was a risky decision that almost punished Bolton but Sterling’s curled effort from 12 yards cannoned off a post.

Bolton’s opportunities were less clear-cut but stemmed almost exclusively from Lennon’s decision to attack Liverpool in the air. David Wheater met Liam Feeney’s inviting free-kick from the left wing with a clean header only to direct it straight at a grateful Simon Mignolet. Wheater flicked on a Josh Vela cross towards Gudjohnsen but just too heavily for the veteran striker to connect in front of goal. Gudjohnsen was also left cursing himself, understandably so, for slicing over Dean Moxey’s cross when he had time and space inside the Liverpool area for a more composed finish.

Gudjohnsen made amends in telling fashion after the restart although, in truth, Sterling should have beaten the former Chelsea and Barcelona forward to it. Liverpool enjoyed so much space in front of the Bolton defence but often lacked the guile to exploit the openings. When they did break through, courtesy of Coutinho’s perfectly-weighted pass to Sterling, Dervite produced an exquisite tackle to thwart the hesitant forward.

Sterling had a second bite but his shot towards the top corner was punched away by Lonergan.

Sterling was then left limping after a heavy challenge from Wheater, who was rightly booked, and the pain intensified for Liverpool as Bolton broke the deadlock. For the first time in the game Liam Feeney broke free down the right and delivered a deep cross towards Mills. His knockdown found Zach Clough who took a touch into the area where he was clipped by Martin Skrtel. Referee Roger East had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Gudjohnsen stroked a nonchalant spot-kick down the centre of the diving Mignolet’s goal.

Bolton’s prospect of holding out were dealt a severe blow shortly afterwards when the influential Danns was sent off for a second bookable offence, both for late and needless lunges on Allen. The pressure inevitably intensified from Liverpool. Emre Can had a shot deflected just wide and another tipped superbly on to the bar by Lonergan.

Henderson’s half volley was diverted on to a post by Wheater before Can lofted a delightful ball over Liam Trotter in the box for Sterling to level on the volley. But the misery was not over for Bolton. Coutinho collected a pass 20 yards from goal and left Lonergan stranded with a shot that looped over and in off the underside of the bar.

(Guardian service)