Liverpool face Bolton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon at the traditional kick-off time of 15:00 hours (GMT). Rafa Benitez will still be missing top scorer Fernando Torres along with midfielder Benayoun for the game at home to the Trotters. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard returned from a hamstring injury in the scoreless draw away to Wolves in midweek and could feature in Saturday’s clash. - Premier League Table -

The Merseysiders start the weekend three points off Tottenham, the team currently occupying fourth place. Unfortunately for the Reds, they failed to be build on their impressive win at home to Spurs by only managing a draw at Molineux on Tuesday night.

Bolton Wanderers clinched a vital win in their last Premier League outing against fellow strugglers Burnley. Chung-Yong Lee scored the only goal of the game as new manager Owen Coyle got his Bolton career off to a perfect start. The win moved the Trotters up to 15th, one point above relegation, but with a game in hand on third from bottom Burnley.

The Reds have an excellent record against the Trotters at Anfield, having not lost on home soil since January 1954. Liverpool have however been beaten by Wanderers in the cup since that league loss over half a century ago. The last defeat on Merseyside at the hands of Bolton came in the League Cup in 2003, when a last-minute penalty from Youri Djorkaeff knocked the holders out.

In the corresponding fixture at the Reebok Stadium earlier this season Liverpool came back twice from behind to beat Bolton. Strikes from Glen Johnson, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard secured all three points in the five-goal thriller.

The Spain and Liverpool number ‘9’ grabbed the Merseysiders’ second of the afternoon, beating Jaaskelainen at the far post, before setting up teammate Steve Gerrard for the winner.