Bolton vs Liverpool Betting Tips

Bolton are one of the hardest teams to beat on home soil in the Premiership. They may not be pretty but they're effective, and they will the in-form Liverpool a darn good run for their money at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday. Since the inauguration of the Premiership, these sides have clashed seven times in Bolton's backyard, with the Trotters and Pool both having won two apiece, and the other three matches ending all square. Bolton versus Liverpool matches rarely fail to deliver excitement, and there's no reason to suspect this fixture will be any different. The Wanderers currently lie sixth in the league, one place ahead of the Reds, and they've yet to concede a goal in their three games played at the Reebok. Sam Allardyce's charges also come into this match with confidence high having outpointed the previously chart-topping Portsmouth by a goal to nil at Fratton park during midweek. Rafa Benitez's men also enjoyed success midweek by beating Galatasaray in their Champions League clash at Anfield, although the danger of slipping from fifth gear to neutral during a match was highlighted as the Turkish side made the Kop sweat buckets, coming back from 3-0 down to close the deficit to 3-2 with a spirited second-half fightback. Ultimately, though. Pool were the superior side and they seemed to be getting their act together in the Premiership prior to that tie too, beating both Newcastle and Tottenham in good style. The aforementioned games were all at Anfield and the major challenge now for Rafa and his red army is translating that level of form to rival turf, as they've scored just once in their three away league games played thus far, which was when playing out a thoroughly disappointing 1-1 draw with Sheffield United on the opening day of the season. Subsequently, Pool were pounded 3-0 by Everton at Goodison Park, and a Didier Drogba wonder strike ensured that they left Stamford Bridge empty handed, despite the home side playing much of the game with ten men. However, it's probably unwise to read too much into these performances, as the Reds' start to the season was generally inauspicious. They now have the bit between their teeth and, when on song, they look like genuine title challengers. My initial inclination was that this game will be a low-scoring affair because of how hard Bolton are to break down and that Liverpool may play with greater caution at the Reebok than they have been playing at Liverpool recently. But this notion is thrown in the air by the stats: in the seven Premiership games played at the Lancashire venue between these two sides during the last decade, 20 goals have been scored, equating to an average of 2.8 goals per game. Liverpool's best chance of beating Bolton is by allowing them to gain confidence and come forward in the match, then hit them on the counter attack. I say this because if the visitors go out with all guns blazing, Bolton will defend deeply and play in a more inhibited fashion. They are hard to penetrate when adopting this approach. Of the 20 goals scored in the matches between these teams which I alluded to earlier, 14 were scored in the second half. Once again, it's not hard to envisage this game coming alive after the interval. It could well be tactical during the first 45 minutes. As such, punters should lap up Blue Square's offer of odds of 23/20 about the second half in the half with most goals market. There is of course a danger that the game will open up earlier than anticipated but I'd be pretty confident that Bolton and Liverpool will cancel each other out for the most part in the first half and, therefore, profit will ensue. Verdict: 3pts Second half in the half with most goals market @ 23/20 (Blue Square)