Liverpool vs Bolton Wanderers Preview

Liverpool vs Bolton Wanderers Preview

Liverpool host Bolton Wanderers tomorrow as they look to advance to the fifth round of the F.A. cup.

 

After the nervous third round victory against A.F.C Wimbledon the Reds will be hoping they can advance into the next round of the F.A. cup. Championship side Bolton will be looking to cause an upset against the Historic club.

 

It will be interesting to see how big a priority the F.A. cup will be for Liverpool. It seems likely that manager Brenda Rodgers will have one eye on the second leg of the league cup semi-final on Tuesday. Especially since they are playing at home, they may rest some key players for Tuesday night.

 

Bolton Wanderers form meanwhile has been up and down of late. They have won three of their last five games, drawing one and losing one. They lie ten points above the championships relegation zone but also eleven points off the playoff spots, hence a mid-table finish seems the most likely outcome. Therefore a good run in the F.A. cup could be something they will realistically look at.

 

When I hear the name Bolton Wanderers, I think of the solid premier league team under Sam Allardyce. That must now seem like a distant memory for Bolton’s fans however who have been missing from England’s top division for some time.

 

The reds meanwhile should feel confident after Tuesday night’s performance, which was the best I’ve seen them play for a long time. The speed and intensity from last season’s title challenging side seems to be returning in place of the slow and languid displays from earlier in the season.

 

Due to the league cup and a packed fixture schedule, some of the younger players are likely to get a chance against Bolton, with Jordan Rossiter, who already featured for Liverpool in the Capital One Cup expected to be involved.

 

Another player likely to feature is Mario Balotelli who has returned to full training. How a player who takes a leisurely stroll around the pitch every game he plays is beyond me, but he will need to start providing goals if he is to have a future at Anfield.

 

Key players such as Gerrard, Sterling and Coutinho are likely to be rested so it could be a good chance to impress for some fringe players. Joe Allen is likely to return from injury and Fabio Borini could lead the attack.

 

While there is potential for an upset, if they play like they have been recently then this game should not be a problem for Liverpool. I expect a win for the Reds by a couple of goals.