Liverpool slide up to 3rd

Liverpool have moved up to 3rd in the Premiership after defeating Bolton 4-0. Steven Gerrard was the key man again as the Anfield side showed they are going to be a threat to the other big teams at the top this year.

Peter Crouch was denied in the sixth minute with Lubomir Michalik coming up with a goalline block after Yossi Benayoun had drawn Jussi Jaaskelainen out of his position to the edge of the six-yard box on left side.

Reds keeper Jose Reina also had an anxious moment soon after on a Kevin Davies glancing header off a setpiece.

Rafa Benitez’s side took the lead in the 17th minute with defender Hyypia heading the ball home off a free-kick from skipper Gerrard from left.

Torres’ angular shot all along the carpet, went across the face of goal after the half-hour mark.

But the Reds were very lucky not to have conceded a goal as France striker Nicolas Anelka failed to put the ball into an open goal in the 38th minute after major misunderstanding seeing Jamie Carragher and Reina collide at the edge of the box with the Trotters star in the clear with the ball and the gaping goal in front of him.

Spain ace Torres scored the Reds’ second goal in the 44th minute with an accurate dink over the Trotters keeper after Gerrard had made a superb pass.

Crouch missed the target after the first minute of the second half as the England international’s powerful header was narrowly wide.

Minutes later, Gerrard motored his way into the Trotters box in his trademark style and let go a grounder but Jaaskelainen did well to spread himself and deflect the ball out of play.

The Reds got a penalty kick in the 55th minute as Crouch was brought down in the box and Gerrard hammered the ball into the bottom corner of the net to bring on his ninth goal so far this season.

Torres and Harry Kewell came close to increasing the lead as the Reds toyed with the rival defence.

Babel made it 4-0 for the home side in the 86th minute after finding the back of the net when Jaaskelainen could only parry a grounder from substitute Dirk Kuyt into Babel’s path.

Babel could have had his second soon after but Abdoulaye Meite made a goalline defensive header to avert the danger.