Davies delivers for Bolton
Bolton inflicted the first Premiership defeat of the season on Liverpool with a 1-0 win at The Reebok.
Bolton inflicted he first Premiership defeat of the season on Liverpool with a 1-0 win at The Reebok.Kevin Davies' first half goal was enough to give The Trotters their third win of the season to help them into third spot in the table.
Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia picked up a nasty facial injury after just two minutes following an aerial challenge with Davies and although the Finn tried to play on he was forced off on 14 minutes to be replaced by Everton target Djimi Traore.
The visitors fashioned the first chance of the game on 17 minutes with Stephen Warnock capitalising on a mistake by Radhi Jaidi and crossing for Milan Baros inside the box, but the Czech striker dragged his shot well wide.
Liverpool created another chance four minutes later with Xabi Alonso setting up Dietmar Hamann with a shooting chance on the edge of the box, only for the German to flash his shot wide of the target.
Bolton came close to breaking the deadlock a minute later, but Jamie Carragher got a crucial challenge in to block Gary Speed's close-range effort.
The impressive Warnock caused danger inside the Bolton penalty area on 26 minutes with a fine run and cross right across the face of goal, but there was no one in a Liverpool shirt in the box to take advantage of the cross.
Jerzy Dudek was called into action on 29 minutes when Jay-Jay Okocha somehow crossed for Stelios Giannakopoulos whose header was easily saved by the Polish keeper.
Steven Gerrard wasted a good chance on the half hour with Alonso playing him through on the left, but his first touch was poor and his shot was comfortably saved by Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Bolton grabbed the opener on 38 minutes with Henrik Pedersen bursting down the left and crossing low into the box for Davies who kept his cool to fire into the net from six yards.
The home side went close to doubling their lead a minute after the restart with Davies turning Hamann and firing in a snap-shot which Dudek did well to turn round the post.
Bolton continued to look dangerous and Jaidi forced Dudek into a good save just before the hour mark after he ghosted in unmarked at the back post to head Ivan Campo's free kick goalwards and a minute later Dudek was at full stretch to keep out Okocha's long-range shot.
Liverpool created the first chance of their second half on 63 minutes with Gerrard picking out Luis Garcia unmarked wide on the left, but the Spaniard drove his volley wide of the target. The Reds felt aggrieved eight minutes from time when Garcia had a goal disallowed for offside after Hamann had cleverly played the Spaniard in on goal.
Djibril Cisse was gifted a golden opportunity to draw Liverpool level three minutes time with Jaidi failing to cut out Garcia's pass allowing Cisse through on goal, but the Frenchman lifted his shot over the crossbar.
Cisse created a chance for Baros a minute later with a deep cross into the box, but Baros could not direct his header on target as Bolton held on for the win.
| Bolton Wanderers | Team Statistics | Liverpool |
| 1 | Goals | 0 |
| 1 | 1st Half Goals | 0 |
| 5 | Shots on Target | 1 |
| 4 | Shots off Target | 6 |
| 1 | Blocked Shots | 1 |
| 5 | Corners | 2 |
| 17 | Fouls | 15 |
| 1 | Offsides | 2 |
| 2 | Yellow Cards | 0 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 62.1 | Passing Success | 72.7 |
| 55 | Tackles | 48 |
| 60 | Tackles Success | 60.4 |
| 43.9 | Possession | 56.1 |
| 51.3 | Territorial Advantage | 48.7 |
 | ||
