Liverpool V Bolton Wanderers Match Pack (Sat, 27 Aug)

 

You are unlikely to see a more one-sided head-to-head than this one between Liverpool and Bolton, who have clashed on 24 separate occasions in the Premier League – Liverpool winning 17 to Bolton’s 3.

 

The Trotters have lost eleven of their twelve away Premier League matches at Anfield, including on each of their last nine visits.

 

Bolton’s most recent victory at Anfield over the Reds was back in 1993 during an FA Cup replay. Their last league triumph however was way back in 1954.

 

Liverpool won home and away last season, winning 2-1 on Merseyside in a match which Kevin Davies’ strike halted a six-match barren streak where Bolton had failed to score at Anfield.

 

 

 

An opening day draw with Sunderland at home followed by an impressive 2-0 win away at Arsenal has left Liverpool 5^th in the table.

 

The Reds have been beaten just once at home in the league in their last eleven matches (W7 D3 L1; GF 23 GA 8).

 

Five of Liverpool’s six Anfield victories in the Premier League under Kenny Dalglish last season were without conceding a goal.

 

Dirk Kuyt has netted six goals in his last six appearances at Anfield, the Dutchman who has scored three times against Bolton in the Premier League.

 

Form: Sunderland (h) D 1-1, Arsenal (a) W 0-2

 

Team News: Luis Suarez was instrumental at Arsenal and opened the scoring at Exeter in midweek, while the fact he was substituted midway through that Carling Cup clash would suggest the Uruguayan is set to return to the starting XI for this weekend’s home game with Bolton. Stewart Downing only played a brief cameo role and could take Jordan Henderson’s place, with the former Sunderland midfielder having played the full 90 minutes at St James Park. Steven Gerrard is still on the sidelines with a groin problem, Glen Johnson could recover in time from a thigh injury, but Raul Meireles is definitely out after injuring his collarbone during the week.

 

 

 

Owen Coyle’s men were brought back down to earth last Sunday with a 3-2 home defeat to Man City, just eight days after their 4-0 demolition of QPR at Loftus Road; the Trotters 8^th in the league as a result.

 

Had the worst away record last season, registering only 11 points from the 57 that were on offer (W2 D5 L12).

 

Before their 4-0 victory away at QPR on the opening day of the season, Bolton had failed to win any of their previous twelve away matches in the Premier League, eleven of those being defeats.

 

The Trotters failed to score in 7 of their 19 away league games in 2010/2011, while striker Johan Elmander, the Swede who chipped in with 7 priceless away goals, was sold to Galatasaray in the summer.

 

Form: QPR (a) W 0-4, Man City (h) L 2-3

 

Team News: Nothing new to report; Tyrone Mears and Lee remain long-term absentees, while Ricardo Gardner and Sam Ricketts still aren’t fit enough to return to first-team competitive action. Ivan Klasnic, who has two in two, will continue to lead the line alongside Kevin Davies.

 

 

 

Liverpool 4/9, Draw 10/3, Bolton 13/2 (PaddyPower)