Liverpool maintained their excellent start to the season with a comfortable 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

Dirk Kuyt scored with a looping header over Jussi Jaaskelainen in the 28th minute to give the visitors the lead. Bolton threatened to stage a comeback in the second half after Liverpool missed a number of golden chances before Steven Gerrard wrapped up the points by scoring a second 17 minutes from the final whistle to keep in touch with Chelsea at the top of the league table.

Liverpool should have had won with a far more comfortable margin as they dominated the possession for large periods of the game and created a number of chances. Fernando Torres started on the bench as Rafa Benitez looked for a positive response following a disappointing defeat in the Carling Cup in the midweek.

The visitors came close to breaking the deadlock midway through the first half when Gerrard passed the ball for Kuyt whose powerful shot smashed against the crossbar before bouncing clear. However the Dutch striker finally managed to score a deserved goal seven minutes later when Fabio Aurelio crossed the ball inside the penalty area and Kuyt adjusted his run to loop a header over Jaaskelainen and into the top corner of the net.

Robbie Keane had a golden chance to double the lead before half time when Kuyt crossed the ball but the Republic of Ireland striker somehow managed to miss the ball from just four yards out. With Liverpool failing to put their chances away, there was alway the danger of Bolton staging a comeback and the hosts looked to have had done just that on the stroke of half time when Gary Cahill headed home from a corner but the effort was harshly ruled out by referee Rob Styles.

Bolton had another great chance to pull level six minutes into the second half when substitute Ricardo Gardner latched on to a through ball from Kevin Davies, managed to round keeper Pepe Reina but slipped at the vital minute in front of an empty net. Just when it looked as if Bolton were slowly gaining control of the game, Liverpool dealt them a knockout blow in the 73rd minute when Torres curled in a brilliant cross with the outside of his right foot for Gerrard to head home Liverpool's second goal of the game to put the result beyond doubt.