Joe Cole came off the bench to snatch a last-gasp winner as Liverpool got 2011 off to a winning start with a 2-1 success against Bolton on New Year's Day.
The No.10 was on hand to guide in Maxi Rodriguez's knock down after Fernando Torres's volley had cancelled out Kevin Davies's first-half opener.
It means the Reds are now up to ninth place in the table, nine points adrift of Chelsea who lie fifth.
The home side had gone into the encounter with a determination to get the disappointment of Wednesday's defeat against Wolves out of their system.
With this in mind, Hodgson opted to make three changes to the side that was undone by Mick McCarthy's men, with Fabio Aurelio, Daniel Agger and Maxi Rodriguez restored to the line-up. Steven Gerrard was a surprise absentee from the starting XI, with fatigue cited as the reason for him dropping to the bench.
In the morning edition of the local Echo newspaper, Club Ambassador, Kenny Dalglish called for everyone connected to Liverpool Football Club to pull together and focus on the matter in hand - claiming three points.
The Anfield faithful would have arrived at their seats expecting a response from their team but it was a cagey opening with both sides tentative in their approach play.
In fact, there was little to shout about in the first 20 minutes other than when Martin Skrtel flicked a right-wing free-kick a few yards off target and Matt Taylor cleared a Maxi volley from under his own crossbar.
With the tempo slowing and passes going astray there was a clear need for some inspiration and the sight of Gerrard taking to the field in place of the injured Raul Meireles seemed to lift the spirits of the crowd.
However, it was the visitors who had the next effort of note when Taylor fizzed a low free-kick into the near post side netting.
Zat Knight then guided Johan Elmander's cross just off target before Maxi saw his looping header clip the top of the crossbar after a deep centre from Dirk Kuyt.
There were signs that Liverpool were beginning to get on top but when Fabio Aurelio gave away a 43rd minute free-kick on the far touchline, an air of anxiety gripped Anfield.
Taylor stepped up and whipped a devilish ball into the danger zone, allowing Davies the chance to thump a free header into the Kop end net.
It was a huge blow for the Reds but they should have been level on the stroke of half-time when Lucas Leiva contrived to stab wide from inside the six yard box after a teasing cross from Kuyt.
There was much to mull over for Hodgson and his backroom staff but whatever was said in the changing room must have done the trick as they were level inside of four minutes of the restart.
A neat move down the right ended with Gerrard clipping a beautifully timed pass towards Torres who eased off his marker to dispatch a powerful volley high into the net.
The roar that echoed around L4 helped to galvanise those in red and just three minutes later they were almost ahead when Torres cut in from the left and curled a vicious shot inches wide of Jaaskelainen's far post.
The momentum was now with the hosts and the Trotters stopper was forced to deny both Maxi and Gerrard on the rebound before the visitors survived a penalty shout when the ball ricocheted back onto Mark Davies's arm.
Bolton could do little to quell the flow of Reds pressure and Ngog was the next player to hold his head in frustration as his goalbound effort was blocked by a desperate defender.
As the game entered the final phase, Liverpool continued to probe and Torres came within a whisker of grabbing his second of the game when he fired Gerrard's pinpoint cross wide of the woodwork.
Mark Davies then provided Pepe Reina with a reminder that he was still involved in a game with a thunderbolt that seared straight at the Spaniard before Gerrard blasted over form the edge of the area.
A second goal would have been no more than the Reds deserved and they got it in stoppage time when Cole turned in Maxi's knock down from Gerrard's sublime cross.
Our next game is away at Blackburn at 20:00GMT on 5th January 2011, and as always you can watch the game on our Watch Liverpool page, http://www.facebookfootballleague.co.uk/watchliverpool.html, bookmark it for the future!
YNWA
The No.10 was on hand to guide in Maxi Rodriguez's knock down after Fernando Torres's volley had cancelled out Kevin Davies's first-half opener.
It means the Reds are now up to ninth place in the table, nine points adrift of Chelsea who lie fifth.
The home side had gone into the encounter with a determination to get the disappointment of Wednesday's defeat against Wolves out of their system.
 | |
| Torres celebrates equalising goal |
In the morning edition of the local Echo newspaper, Club Ambassador, Kenny Dalglish called for everyone connected to Liverpool Football Club to pull together and focus on the matter in hand - claiming three points.
The Anfield faithful would have arrived at their seats expecting a response from their team but it was a cagey opening with both sides tentative in their approach play.
In fact, there was little to shout about in the first 20 minutes other than when Martin Skrtel flicked a right-wing free-kick a few yards off target and Matt Taylor cleared a Maxi volley from under his own crossbar.
With the tempo slowing and passes going astray there was a clear need for some inspiration and the sight of Gerrard taking to the field in place of the injured Raul Meireles seemed to lift the spirits of the crowd.
However, it was the visitors who had the next effort of note when Taylor fizzed a low free-kick into the near post side netting.
Zat Knight then guided Johan Elmander's cross just off target before Maxi saw his looping header clip the top of the crossbar after a deep centre from Dirk Kuyt.
There were signs that Liverpool were beginning to get on top but when Fabio Aurelio gave away a 43rd minute free-kick on the far touchline, an air of anxiety gripped Anfield.
Taylor stepped up and whipped a devilish ball into the danger zone, allowing Davies the chance to thump a free header into the Kop end net.
It was a huge blow for the Reds but they should have been level on the stroke of half-time when Lucas Leiva contrived to stab wide from inside the six yard box after a teasing cross from Kuyt.
There was much to mull over for Hodgson and his backroom staff but whatever was said in the changing room must have done the trick as they were level inside of four minutes of the restart.
A neat move down the right ended with Gerrard clipping a beautifully timed pass towards Torres who eased off his marker to dispatch a powerful volley high into the net.
The roar that echoed around L4 helped to galvanise those in red and just three minutes later they were almost ahead when Torres cut in from the left and curled a vicious shot inches wide of Jaaskelainen's far post.
The momentum was now with the hosts and the Trotters stopper was forced to deny both Maxi and Gerrard on the rebound before the visitors survived a penalty shout when the ball ricocheted back onto Mark Davies's arm.
Bolton could do little to quell the flow of Reds pressure and Ngog was the next player to hold his head in frustration as his goalbound effort was blocked by a desperate defender.
As the game entered the final phase, Liverpool continued to probe and Torres came within a whisker of grabbing his second of the game when he fired Gerrard's pinpoint cross wide of the woodwork.
Mark Davies then provided Pepe Reina with a reminder that he was still involved in a game with a thunderbolt that seared straight at the Spaniard before Gerrard blasted over form the edge of the area.
A second goal would have been no more than the Reds deserved and they got it in stoppage time when Cole turned in Maxi's knock down from Gerrard's sublime cross.
Our next game is away at Blackburn at 20:00GMT on 5th January 2011, and as always you can watch the game on our Watch Liverpool page, http://www.facebookfootballleague.co.uk/watchliverpool.html, bookmark it for the future!
YNWA
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