Liverpool’s name did not join the litany of fourth-round heavyweight casualties but that was the limit of consolation for Brendan Rodgers. His team could not break the resistance of Bolton Wanderers or their goalkeeper Adam Bogdan and rarely reached the levels of Tuesday’s Capital One Cup semi-final against Chelsea but, on a day of profound shocks, they at least avoided becoming one more.
Rodgers and Neil Lennon embraced on the final whistle while the Bolton chairman, Phil Gartside, punched the air at the thought of extra revenue from a replay. Bolton’s second chance was well earned. They defended resolutely, threatened occasionally on the counterattack and Bogdan provided a commanding foundation in goal.
The competition opened up for Liverpool before their late kick-off, with four of the Premier League’s top six falling like skittles, although it is not time to measure for new suits yet. Their poor FA Cup record against Bolton should have provided sufficient warning against complacency without the lessons from Stamford Bridge, the Etihad Stadium, St Mary’s and White Hart Lane. Wanderers had won six of eight previous FA Cup ties against Liverpool and memories of their last, the 2-0 win at Anfield in 1993, were rekindled as chants of “Super John McGinlay” – one of the goalscorers that night – resonated from a packed away section. Lennon’s team provided further encouragement.
Bolton made the stronger, more confident start as they played to the obvious aerial strengths and assured touch of their veteran strike duo Emile Heskey and Eidur Gudjohnsen. The pair, with a combined age of 73, may not be the most mobile but they gave Liverpool’s back three of Glen Johnson, Emre Can and Mamadou Sakho little time on the ball. Heskey, afforded a warm reception on his Anfield return, commanded the air while Gudjohnsen has not lost the ability to find time and space in front of a defence and fed Bolton’s wing-backs regularly.
The visitors caused problems for Liverpool at two early corners. Dean Moxey drove a powerful half-volley a yard wide and Gudjohnsen was close to pick-pocketing Simon Mignolet as the keeper attempted to deal with a hopeful punt on the stroke of half-time.
Liverpool gradually came into the contest and took control after the opening 15 minutes without causing Bogdan too many problems in the Bolton goal. Jordan Henderson, Philippe Coutinho and Glen Johnson all forced Bogdan into routine saves from distance but, aside from the persistent threat offered by Raheem Sterling, the home side rarely got behind Bolton’s three-man central defence.
The threat from Lennon’s team was stifled by Liverpool’s tireless pressing in central midfield yet, despite releasing Sterling into space against Matt Mills several times before the interval, they struggled to take advantage.
Sterling was guilty of over-elaboration inside the area when an early shot or lay-off was required. He was also hauled to the ground by the Bolton captain Mills having flicked the ball over the defender, who was booked but rightly escaped a red card as Tim Ream provided cover behind.
Mills was fortunate to escape a second yellow card at the start of the second half, however, when he clipped the substitute Lazar Markovic on the edge of his area. Rodgers was incandescent on the sideline as the referee, Kevin Friend, waved play on.
Liverpool were often careless or overly-cautious in possession but a second-half performance with far greater urgency was not enough to satisfy Rodgers who, having witnessed one touch too many from Sterling inside the Bolton area, introduced Fabio Borini for the final 23 minutes. Borini’s introduction at the apex of Liverpool’s attack meant Sterling shifting to the right of midfield in place of Javier Manquillo, an instruction the England international was clearly not content with. But it almost paid immediate dividends as Coutinho weaved through the Bolton defence and picked out the Italian unmarked on the left. Borini shot first time towards the far corner of the Kop goal only for Bogdan to make a fine fingertip save.
The Bolton keeper produced a convincing display against an admittedly limited Liverpool attack. Bogdan also foiled Coutinho at the start of the second half when the Brazilian placed a 20-yard shot towards the bottom corner, saving strongly with his left hand and benefiting from a dreadful finish by Manquillo on the rebound. The Spanish full-back was unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box but dragged his shot well wide.
Liam Feeney’s pace on the Bolton right, plus Dean Moxey’s support on the opposite flank, gave the visitors a dangerous outlet on the counterattack and added to the unease of the majority inside Anfield. Gudjohnsen had two decent chances to compound Liverpool’s problems but side-footed Ream’s inviting low cross wide from 18 yards and sliced over from the penalty spot after Moxey and Vela had combined down the left.
Liverpool continued to apply pressure without a cutting edge, though had a fair penalty appeal dismissed when Henderson was nudged in the back by Bolton substitute Jay Spearing as he exchanged passes with Borini inside the area. Borini, Henderson and Lucas all went close in the dying stages but Bolton deservedly held out.
