The pre-match build-up may have been focused squarely on Steven Gerrard’s impending 700th appearance for Liverpool and his quest to win the FA Cup in his last season at Anfield, but the Captain was resigned to a peripheral role as two of the clubs youngster’s stepped up to put the Reds through to the fifth round.
The opening exchanges of the replay looked to be in quiet the same vein as their first encounter at Anfield with Bolton Wanderers doing everything and more to hold back Brendan Rodgers men. Although the visitors looked odds on favorites to go through, the hosts would flip the script on their top-flight opponents before some late drama saw them go crashing — valiantly one must say — out of the cup.
Despite hinting at whole-sale changes pre-match, only Joe Allen and the skipper were brought into the side that downed West Ham United at the weekend with the serious focus on this competition showing from the off. The Reds have a very important run of matches on the horizon, including the Merseyside Derby on Saturday, but there was no mistaking that the focus was very much on the proceedings at the Macron Stadium.
It was Gerrard who fired a warning shot early in the first half, but Trotters ‘keeper Andrew Lonergan was equal to his tame effort. Chances would go begging for Philippe Coutinho and Alberto Moreno before Raheem Sterling had the best opportunity to set the visitors on their way only to see his curling shot from inside the box cannon off the post — unfortunately, that wouldn’t be the only time the woodwork came to the aid of the hosts.
David Wheater’s glanced header fell into the waiting arms of Simon Mignolet as Neil Lennon’s side looked to get the crowd on their feet and Matt Mills — a defender by trade but playing as a target man for the hosts on the night — smacked a lovely half-volley at the Belgian, but there was no getting by the Reds shot-stopper as the half ended scoreless.
The visitors started the second half much as they had the first with Adam Lallana, who looked to have picked up a slight knock, making way for Jordan Henderson, but the script got flipped when Bolton striker Zach Clough took a bit of a dive when charging into the area under pressure from Martin Skrtel. Replays showed very minimal contact between the pair, but referee Roger East pointed to the spot anyway with former Chelsea attacker Eidur Gudjohnsen banging in the resulting spot-kick.
As worrisome as falling behind on the road might be, the Reds never once looked out of it and they got a boost in their efforts to draw level when Neil Danns, who was already on a yellow card for an earlier challenge, lunged in on Joe Allen only to be given his marching orders by East. Gudjohnsen had a chance to seal the deal with a free header not long after, but he could only direct his effort straight at Mignolet. From there on out, it was all Liverpool.
Fabio Borini and Daniel Sturridge would be introduced to the fray before the final whistle was blown, but the Reds still struggled to find the net. Henderson saw his volley cannon off the post, Emre Can saw a pile-driver of a shot pushed onto the crossbar and Dorian Dervite, a thorn in the vistors side all night, got down to block a Sterling effort, but the youngster wouldn’t be denied again when he expertly took down Can’s deft chip over the top before sliding the equalizer home with only four minutes left to play.
With this weekend’s meeting with Everton being quickly followed up by Tottenham Hotspur’s trip to Anfield on Tuesday, extra time was the one thing that Rodgers would have wanted to avoid and he got his wish when Coutinho — fresh off of signing a new five year deal — clipped in the kind of shot that mere mortals only dream of making. Finding space for himself, the Brazilian’s effort came in high, but dipped it quickly to strike the underside of the crossbar before dropping neatly behind a stranded Lonergan.
We left it late, but we did it and that’s all that matters. We may have looked a touch pensive at times and one or more of the players out there could have done with a rest, but that’s not a matter we need to worry about right now. Toss another match on the pile with a trip to Selhurst Park and a fifth round meeting with Crystal Palace coming hot on the heels of Spurs midweek and we’re one step closer to giving Stevie a birthday he won’t forget.
There’s still a ways to go, but there’s no harm in hoping.
–Steven
