English FA CUP
2015-01-24 - Liverpool vs Bolton Wanderers
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English FA Cup Fourth Round
Saturday 24 January 2014 Kick Off 5:30pm
This game is live on TV
Liverpool
With a little more luck and a little more composure in the final third, Liverpool may not just have had a lead in the League Cup Semi Final against Chelsea but could potentially have had a decisive lead. That performance has to be giving Brendan Rodgers a lot of positive feelings for the rest of the season as Liverpool begin to return to something of the form that took them close to the Premier League title last season and with Daniel Sturridge still to return.
The League Cup Semi Final Second Leg is to be played during the week, but Liverpool fans will be demanding that their side continue to ride recent momentum into this FA Cup Fourth Round tie. A tie against a side from the Championship gives Liverpool a strong chance to progress having beaten Wimbledon from League Two in the Third Round.
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 9 games in all competitions, but they did see their run of 3 wins in a row come to an end on Tuesday with the 1-1 home draw against Chelsea. There might be something of a complex developing for the players at Anfield after that result extended their run to 7 unbeaten at home in all competitions, but Liverpool have drawn 5 of their last 6 games here.
Changes will be made to the side with the League Cup Semi Final in mind, but Brendan Rodgers is expected to persist with the 3-4-3 formation that has produced positive results and performances.
Bolton Wanderers
The arrival of Neil Lennon at Bolton Wanderers has certainly sparked an upturn in results for the side which has moved them away from the bottom of the table. However, it does look like that Lennon's arrival has come a little too late to see the side put together a promotion challenge back to the Premier League, while the short trip to Liverpool will remind the fans of more positive recent times.
The Trotters earned their place in the FA Cup Fourth Round by beating Wigan Athletic at home, but Bolton Wanderers have been knocked out at this stage by Premier League teams in each of the last two seasons. However, they will look to their performance at Stamford Bridge in the League Cup when only losing 2-1 as a positive that can be used in their visit to Anfield.
Bolton Wanderers have only lost 1 of their last 12 games in all competitions heading into this game and they have won 4 of their last 6. They have only lost 1 of their last 5 away games, but Bolton had lost 6 of 7 away from home prior to that run of games.
Head to Head
This is the first time in three seasons that Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers will be playing one another and the Reds have been dominant at Anfield.
Liverpool have won 9 in a row at home against Bolton.
Prediction
The performance against Chelsea in the League Cup Semi Final will have given the Liverpool fans at Anfield the positive feelings that saw them get very close to winning the Premier League title last season. Brendan Rodgers has been saying for a few weeks that his Liverpool team had turned a corner and were getting their confidence back, but he might be a little concerned with the number of draws Liverpool have been having at home.
The 3-4-3 system seems to be getting the best out of the players at his disposal and while there will be some changes in preparation for the game against Chelsea during the week, Liverpool will be looking to book their place in the Fifth Round without the need for a replay.
Liverpool have looked much more menacing going forward over the last six weeks than they have for much of the season and Bolton Wanderers will have a tough time trying to contain them. Neil Lennon has done a very good job in his short time at Bolton, but this is a big step up from the usual level of competition they have been facing and he is likely to set his side up to be hard to beat.
However, falling behind could see a couple of heads drop and the class difference really begin to be highlighted in this contest. If Liverpool show a little more composure in the final third, they should be too strong for Bolton and go into the League Cup Semi Final against Chelsea in good heart.
The Pick :
Liverpool 3-1 Bolton Wanderers
