Bolton: Davies 33, Cohen 46

Liverpool: Johnson 41, Torres 56, Gerrard, 83

Liverpool avoided their worst start for 85 years when they came from behind to beat plucky ten-man Bolton at the Reebok.

Gary Megson’s Wanderers team had twice taken the lead when the game turned on the controversial dismissal of Sean Davis for two bookable offences, the second of which appeared to be an accidental trip on Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder Lucas.

With their man advantage, Liverpool piled forward, equalised within minutes and won the game, almost inevitably, with a stunning strike from captain Steven Gerrard.

Bolton took the lead against the run of play on 33 minutes, Kevin Davies forcing the ball home from close range after Liverpool’s zonal marking system was exposed at a corner.

£17m full-back Glen Johnson repaid another chunk of his fee when he smashed home Liverpool’s 41^st minute equaliser past a static Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Within two minutes of the restart, Bolton were ahead again when Tamir Cohen, son of former Liverpool full-back Avi Cohen, swept home Davies’ knock-down.

But after Davis’ controversial dismissal on 53 minutes, which followed considerable pressure on the referee from Lucas to produce a card, Bolton were chasing shadows.

Dirk Kuyt’s chest pass neatly set up Torres on 56 minutes, and his right-foot finish was neater still.

And with seven minutes left and time beginning to look as if it might run out, Gerrard thumped home Torres’ inviting knockdown, from the edge of the box, to seal victory.

Fernando Torres could have added a late fourth only to be denied by a wonderful save from Jaaskaleinen.

Bolton boss Gary Megson enigmatically commented: “You can’t really moan about the sending-off, the way the rules are. Lucas knew exactly what he was doing.”

A relieved Benitez felt vindicated by his midweek criticism of senior players: “They were better today. There is quality in this squad. It is why we got 86 points last season.”