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Bolton climbed out of the bottom three with one of the most improbable results of their season, surprising not only Liverpool but probably some of their supporters with the quality of their football and the neatness of their execution.

The visitors were never allowed to settle, conceded early in both halves, and did not display too much appetite for getting back into the game. Where Bolton have been hiding this poise and control, all season is a mystery, but with David Ngog effortlessly outshining his £35m replacement in the Liverpool ranks the result was never in doubt.

Bolton got of to a better start than they could ever have imagined, with Mark Davies putting them in front after four minutes from the first attack of the game. Ngog’s clever flick left Martin Skrtel well out of position and powerless to do anything about Davies’s dart into the area. The defender thought better of a tackle from behind as he trailed in Davies’s wake, leaving the Bolton midfielder free to carry the ball almost to the penalty spot before poking a low shot past Pepe Reina for his third Premier League goal in three seasons at the club.

It almost got even better for the home side four minutes later when Chris Eagles dispossessed José Enrique on the Bolton right and held off defenders to run all the way along the goalline. Yet with all the hard work seemingly done, his final ball rolled harmlessly across the face of goal with Ngog unable to get a decisive touch.

Liverpool, who had Charlie Adam and Steven Gerrard at the rear of midfield, started with Jordan Henderson on the right wing. Stewart Downing had to watch from the bench, for all Kenny Dalglish’s insistence that his £20m capture from Aston Villa was a better player than he had initially realised. At least Henderson was able to produce Liverpool’s first shot of any note, bringing a comfortable save from Adam Bogdan with a drive from long range.

Bolton survived a scare after half an hour when Adam’s free kick hit Zat Knight on the backside in the area with neither Andy Carroll nor Maxi Rodriguez able to take advantage of the loose ball, and Liverpool were left regretting their hesitancy when the home side swept straight down the field to score a second with one of the most incisive finishes you could ask to see.

Nigel Reo-Coker has never scored at the Reebok before, but you would never have guessed from the confident manner in which he started and completed the move that put Bolton two up. Releasing the ball towards Eagles on the right, Reo-Coker moved smartly into the area to accept the return, and was not even fazed when the winger decided to chip the ball in his direction rather than roll a pass along the floor. Reo-Coker simply took one touch to control the ball and a second to push a shot beyond Reina.

Liverpool did not know what had hit them and could hardly have been expecting such finesse from a team in the bottom three, yet to their credit they pulled a goal back before half-time.

Carroll had not done an awful lot to impress in front of goal but his header forward from the halfway line perfectly bisected Bolton’s central defenders and allowed Bellamy to run free, the Welshman’s pace doing the rest and leaving Bogdan little hope of reaching the ball first.

That should have been enough action for a lively and entertaining first half, though there was still time for Martin Petrov to bring a flying save from Reina from a stoppage time free-kick, after Ngog had been fouled by Adam.

Reo-Coker resumed an old argument with Bellamy as the teams left the pitch at the interval, then apparently turned on Knight when the centre-half attempted to intervene. If Liverpool thought they were getting back into the game they were disabused of the notion five minutes after second half got under way. Bolton were by far the more positive side straight from the restart, with Ngog holding the ball well and Eagles again providing a valuable outlet on the right, though it was a from a corner won on the left that the home side increased their lead. Petrov sent over a deep one, for David Wheater to rise above Skrtel at the far post and nod down for Gretar Steinsson to volley home. Bolton players had been first to the ball both times, with Steinsson beating Daniel Agger to the knockdown.

The Liverpool manager sent on Downing and Dirk Kuyt for the last quarter, to little effect. Carroll produced an air shot when Downing managed a cut back from the left, and the closest they came to scoring again was when Agger let fly from 30 yards out and grazed the top of Bogdan’s bar. Bellamy brought a save from the Bolton goalkeeper though again the shot was from outside the area, and by the end Liverpool’s passing in midfield was ragged and directionless.

For the second Saturday running Bolton were well served by the underrated Davies, though this was a day when everyone in white had a game to remember.

Premier League 2011-12Bolton WanderersLiverpoolPremier LeaguePaul Wilson
guardian.co.uk

On taking over, Mark Hughes talked about his players having to quickly understand what was required. On this evidence it is to adhere to a tight shape, fan out when in possession to offer the ball carrier options, and shoot more.

Simple, maybe, but in the last days of Neil Warnock QPR too often lost their way and games when teams got at them. Here, Tommy Smith’s 79th-minute 30-yard barnburner that sealed the win illustrated Hughes’s point when he also stated that conversion not creation was what has hobbled QPR this season.

Despite this being a contest between two sides stuck in the exit chamber of the Premier League this was a riveting watch. Bottom place (Wigan) against 18th (QPR) in late January sounds like an advert for a tense and torpid affair but this was pacy and entertaining to the end as Hughes registered his first Premier League win as QPR manager.

Victor Moses raced down the left to leave Luke Young flailing before zipping a ball across Paddy Kenny that no team-mate could convert. This followed Jordi Gómez delivering a cross that a dozing home defence allowed Steve Gohouri to wander onto unmarked but he missed.

DJ Campbell, replaced by Smith at the break, looked sharp until opportunity came knocking: a flipped pass from Joey Barton removed the defence but found only a static Campbell and strike partner, Heidar Helguson.

Akos Buzsaky missed with two attempts but ended the period planting a 25-yard free-kick beyond Ali al-Habsi that pinged in off the right post.

Before, Barton’s corner from the left was poor, but James McCarthy stuck out a hand, the penalty was awarded, and Helguson stepped up to stroke home for a ninth of the campaign.

QPR could even afford to miss a penalty – Helguson this time seeing his kick produce a fine save from Habsi to his right.

Premier League 2011-12Bolton WanderersLiverpoolPremier LeagueJamie Jackson
guardian.co.uk

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Kenny Dalglish bemoaned Liverpool’s inability to part a resolute Stoke City defence and then scurried for the exit only to find himself unable to open the door of the press room. Blocked on all fronts, there was also no escaping the unpalatable truth that Liverpool’s latest frustration on the home front was entirely self-inflicted.

Stoke City became the seventh visiting team to leave Anfield with a point this season and no inspired goalkeeping or catalogue of missed chances excused Liverpool on this occasion. For the first time since his well-documented suspension began Luis Suárez was sorely missed, and his absence was savoured by a rival