Rampant Reds too strong for Bolton Wanderers

Liverpool swept to the top of the EPL with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers at Anfield.

Liverpool: Liverpool swept to the top of the English Premier League with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers at Anfield on Saturday.

Kenny Dalglish has spent over £100 million transforming the club since returning to the Anfield manager`s office last January. And that investment appears to be paying off after goals by new signings Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam, either side of Martin Skrtel`s header, left the Merseyside club looking down on their rivals for the first time in over two years. It is too early to get carried away with Liverpool`s start which has also included a 2-0 win at Arsenal and a 1-1 draw with Sunderland. But it is clear that Dalglish`s rebuilding programme is working. Liverpool now have seven points from three games. Last season under Roy Hodgson they needed nine games to get seven points on the board. Henderson and Adam both scored their first competitive goals for the club as Uruguay defender Sebastian Coates watched from Anfield`s VIP seats ahead of an expected £7 million move from Nacional before Wednesday`s transfer deadline. And the 20-year-old must have been impressed with what he saw as Liverpool required just 15 minutes to unlock the Bolton defence, despite having club record £35 million striker Andy Carroll starting on the subtitutes bench. The visitors thought they had escaped after Jussi Jaaskelainen`s brilliant finger-tip save kept out Stewart Downing`s volley following good work by Luis Suarez. But the visitors failed to deal with the loose ball and Henderson took advantage of some sloppy defending to rifle home from 16 yards. Owen Coyle`s side responded through Martin Petrov, the winger testing Pepe Reina with a sweetly-struck 18th minute volley in front of the Kop. But in an exciting contest, Liverpool should have established a two-goal cushion before the break. Suarez looked certain to score after springing the off-side trap in the 24th minute as Henderson turned provider. But the Uruguayan`s attempted lob over the advancing Jaaskelainen landed on the roof of the net. Liverpool felt they were denied after referee Lee Probert failed to punish Gretar Steinsson`s handball with a 42nd minute penalty. However, replays showed the official got it right with the offence inches outside the area. But the hosts sealed the points with two goals in a minute in the early stages of the second half. Substitute Skrtel, a first-half replacement for the injured Martin Kelly, outjumped Zat Knight to power Adam`s corner into the back of the net to double the lead in the 52nd minute. And Liverpool fans were still celebrating when Adam found the back of the net from 20 yards with a low shot that beat the outstretched hands of Jaaskelainen. Ivan Klasnic scored a consolation for Bolton deep in stoppage time after a mistake from Jamie Carragher but Liverpool thoroughly deserved their victory. Bureau Report