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MOTD: Liverpool 0-0 Bolton Wanderers

By on January 24, 2015

Such is the magic of the FA Cup that, if there are any more upsets, the final thirty-two will lack any big clubs left to knock out at all.  The Premier League’s top three are all out – Chelsea losing 4-2 to Bradford City, Manchester City shutout by Middlesborough, and Southampton beaten 3-2 by Crystal Palace.  And the list goes on, with Manchester United drawing with Cambridge United and Tottenham losing to Leicester City. In fact, the only Premier League clubs that have confirmed their spots in the next round are Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion, and Leicester, all in the bottom half of the table. Four Championship clubs and one third division side in Bradford City have already confirmed their place in the Fifth Round, with the potential for more.

So it’s fair to say that Bolton Wanderers’ draw with Liverpool at Anfield was consistent with the theme of the day.  More so in the fact as Bolton were set up as to defend – and it was due to their often frenzied and occasionally illegal defending, along with magnificent goalkeeping, that they forced a replay. With sixty-nine percent possession and twenty-four shots, the result highlights Liverpool’s inability to finish as much as anything else.

Bolton were not without chances – Dean Moxey’s first half volley skimmed inches wide of the post – and began well but Liverpool quickly settled in. As Brendan Rodgers highlighted after the match, The Reds didn’t lack in creativity – quite the opposite – but simply couldn’t translate it into a goal. Jordan Henderson came close eleven minutes in, but his dipping twenty-five yard volley highlighted Adam Bogdan’s performance in goal as the Hungarian goalkeeper turned it wide of the left-hand post. Soon after he would block Javier Manquillo’s far post header, which Manquillo somehow managed to direct straight at the goalkeeper in miles of space.

On the other side of the half, Bolton also took advantage of some luck as the referee altogether failed to whistle after Matt Mills’ trip of Lazar Markovic.  With Markovic through on goal, a foul could have resulted in a sending off for Mills.  Television replays proved the correct decision would have been the foul call.

Nonetheless, Liverpool kept pushing forward. Philippe Coutinho tested Bogdan with a low curling effort, and despite the save, Manquillo really should have finished the follow-up instead of dragging it wide. As time ran out Bogdan tipped wide Fabio Borini’s curler at full stretch, proving to be just enough to set up a replay. All things considered, it would have turned out to be another giant-killing should Bolton have found a late winner, yet Neil Lennon’s side didn’t look close to mustering such a result. Really, though, in a weekend jam-packed with surprises Liverpool got off comparatively well.
Man of the Match: Adam Bogdan

Photo credit: Flicker and Kamran Hussain

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.