Fowler always seems to hit the target when coming up against the Trotters and today's game was no exception as he struck deep into first half injury time after combining very well with fellow strike partner Peter Crouch.

It was perhaps cruel on the Wanderers as they had often frustrated their North West neighbours fluency in the opening period but their inability to take their chances in the final third of the field proved to be costly in the end.

Both teams had suffered a complete contrast in fortunes of late as the in-form Merseysiders went in search of their fifth successive win in all competitions, whilst Sam Allardyce's Bolton aimed to stop an unwanted run of four straight defeats over the last three weeks.

Bolton had their chances to open the scoring inside the opening few minutes when lone target man Kevin Davies failed to convert a chance from six yards inside the penalty area after Bruno N'Gotty's deep free kick was flicked on by Abdoulaye Faye.

A few moments later one time Reds target Stelios Giannakopoulos found himself in a glorious position bearing down on goal but the Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina was in top form to deny the Greek international before any further damage could be done.

On 22 minutes England hopeful Kevin Nolan clipped a third Bolton chance over the crossbar against his hometown club as the visitors looked to gain their first away league win at Anfield in just over half a century.

Liverpool pair John Arne Riise and Harry Kewell both tried ambitious shots from distance as the half came to a close but it looked as if the Wanderers had done enough to go into the interval all square.

However, the hosts where by no means playing the half out with Finnish goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen proving the hero once again for Bolton as he tipped over a dangerous free kick by England midfielder Steven Gerrard five minutes before the break.

Gerrard went down in the penalty area some sixty seconds later much to the fury of the Anfield regulars but referee Rob Styles had correctly judged that Gary Speed won the ball cleanly from his opponent and waved away any appeals for a penalty.

Jaaskelainen was then quick to react to Peter Crouch's header after a Gerrard corner as it became evident that the Reds where getting closer to hitting the net and it was somewhat cruel on the Trotters when they went 1-0 down just seconds before the break.

Fowler and Crouch combined well with a neat one-two and the Liverpool legend saw the gap to fire home his fourth goal since returning to Anfield in the January transfer window.

The second half started very directly with Liverpool looking to add to their 1-0 lead when Spanish duo Luis Garcia and Xabi Alonso went close after managing to outwit the Wanderers defence.

Ten minutes into the half and Kevin Davies tried to chip a clever pass from Tal Ben-Haim over the advancing Reina but the Spaniard was quickest out of the blocks to deny the former Southampton player.

Australian midfielder Harry Kewell was being switched from one flank to the other by the Reds throughout the afternoon and he proved to be at his most effective when bombing down the left hand side as this proved with twenty minutes remaining.

Kewell picked out the gangly figure of Crouch by aiming a pinpoint ball to the far post but the 6ft 7" forward couldn't do enough to direct the header past Jaaskelainen to finish the game off.

Bolton introduced Ivan Campo and Matt Jansen following a spell of two months on the sidelines but neither could improve the fortunes of the visitors who last claimed a league victory on the road way back in December when defeating Everton at Goodison Park

It doesn't get any easier for the Trotters in their search for three points as they now must face Premiership holders Chelsea at the Reebok Stadium in six days from now

Bolton Wanderers: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Tal Ben-Haim, Bruno N'Gotty, Ricardo Gardner, Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye (Ivan Campo), Jay-Jay Okocha (Matt Jansen), Gary Speed, Kevin Nolan, Kevin Davies, Stelios Giannakopoulos (Henrik Pedersen)

Subs Not Used: Ian Walker, Jared Borgetti

Liverpool: Jose Reina, Steve Finnan, Sami Hyypia, Jamie Carragher, John Arne Riise, Djibril Cisse (Luis Garcia), Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Harry Kewell (Djimi Traore), Peter Crouch, Robbie Fowler (Dietmar Hamann)

Subs Not Used: Jerzy Dudek, Mohammed Sissoko

Referee:

Rob Styles

Attendance:

44,194

Booked:

Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye (Bolton)

Sami Hyypia (Liverpool)

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