Garcia strike spares Liverpool

Bolton 2 Liverpool 2: Liverpool's superb 10-match winning run in the Premiership came to an end thanks in no small measure to former Anfield misfit El-Hadji Diouf.

The controversial striker heads off on Friday to prepare for the African Nations Cup with Senegal. Diouf's departure has probably come too late for Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, who was looking for his side to equal a club record set in 1982.

Instead Diouf capped a feisty display by scoring only his third league goal of the campaign to put Bolton in sight of another famous victory. However Luis Garcia stepped off the bench to rescue a point for Liverpool late in the game.

Bolton have now gone 13 matches at home undefeated and again showed what difficult opponents they are on their own patch. Spanish shot-stopper Jose Reina handed them the lead, though, in the ninth minute with a serious lapse in concentration. He failed to deal with a inswinging free kick from Stelios Giannakopoulos and flapped at the ball.

Sami Hyypia tried to rescue the situation but it fell to Radhi Jaidi, who headed home from close range.

Liverpool were clearly stunned after showing such glorious form at home and away. They hit back and the free-scoring Peter Crouch got on the end of a free-kick by Steven Gerrard in the 15th minute only to head over the top. Gerrard then strode forward in the 23rd minute but saw his effort blocked by Bolton defender Ricardo Gardner.

Bolton captain Kevin Nolan, a self-confessed Liverpool fan, was left with stud marks on his chest after scrapping for the ball with Gerrard. Nolan was angry at the challenge but there seemed to be little malice from the Liverpool skipper.

Bolton continued to look threatening every time they broke forward. Giannakopoulos drove in a cross after 34 minutes that was collected by Jaidi, who had raced forward. He managed to force a shot but it was superbly blocked by Steve Finnan in the six yard area. Hyypia was then penalised for tripping Diouf two minutes later and the air was thick with anticipation as Giannakopoulos lined up the free-kick from the edge of the area.

He got a good angle on his effort but Reina was able to make the save under the posts. Nolan then had claims for a penalty waved away after he had his legs taken from him by Jamie Carragher as he tried to weave his into the area.

Djimi Traore tried to pull Liverpool level a minute before the break and cracked in a powerful shot, which Jussi Jaaskelainen did well to turn over the top. Liverpool looked a bit out of sorts but not Gerrard. He skipped away from Diouf three minutes later and drove in a low cross from the byline.

However Jaidi, who is also due to play in the African Nations Cup for Tunisia, was well positioned and made the clearance. Bolton were playing with no lack of confidence as they tried to secure another famous victory at a ground where Arsenal came to grief recently.

Liverpool launched a swift counter-attack a minute later and Harry Kewell whipped in a shot that went narrowly over the bar. Then the influential Gerrard showed good vision only to see his effort go inches wide of the post.

Gerrard grabbed the equaliser in the 66th minute when he scored from the penalty spot after he had been tripped by Joey O'Brien. In front of the travelling Liverpool fans he sent his effort beyond Jaaskelainen and into the corner. But Bolton regained the lead in the 71st minute thanks to Anfield old boy Diouf.

Nolan started the move playing the ball over the top to Davies, who clipped it into the area for Diouf to bundle it home. Diouf then made space in the 79th minute but found the side-netting when Giannakopoulos was screaming for the ball at the back post.

Liverpool drew level in the 82nd minute after their substitutes linked up. Luis Garcia took a ball from Xabi Alonso on his chest then rifled a superb shot into the net.