Rodriguez strike gives Liverpool reason to smile

Bolton Wanderers 0 Liverpool 1. Chelsea and Arsenal left it late on Saturday, and Liverpool did likewise on Sunday against Bolton. A goal from Maxi Rodriguez on 86 minutes secured all three points for the Reds and earned them their first away win of the season. Next up for Liverpool in the league are champions Chelsea who defeated Blackburn at Ewood Park thanks to a Branislav Ivanovic strike six minutes from time.

Liverpool's new owner, John W Henry, will be at Anfield for the first time next Sunday for the visit of Chelsea and before then Reds' manager Roy Hodgson will sit down with the American millionaire to discuss the club's future. With back-to-back wins against Bolton and Blackburn, Liverpool are now out of the bottom three in 12th spot and Hogdson says that will make life a lot easier when he sits down with Henry. "It will be so nice to meet the new owners when we are not in the relegation zone. We live in a world of euphoria or tragedy and you try to steer an even keel between the two. We [he and Henry] have contact on an almost daily basis because he is very interested in how to move the club forward. For me as manager, that is music to my ears."

Liverpool went into yesterday's game at the Reebok Stadium searching for their first away win in the Premier League since April and the Reds were made to work hard by a battling Bolton side. With Fernando Torres playing as the lone striker, and Steven Gerrard, Maxi and Joe Cole in support, Liverpool came close to taking the lead several times during the first period, but Torres' poor form continued as he spurned two good chances.

Bolton began to find their feet as the half wore on and Pepe Reina had to be on his toes to keep out a Stuart Holden volley while the home side also had what looked like a good shout for a penalty turned down when Paul Robinson's cross brushed Jamie Carragher's arm.

There were chances at both end in the second half but it wasn't until four minutes from time that the stalemate was broken. Torres collected the ball from Lucas Leiva and sent Maxi clear with a delightful flick through the legs of Bolton centre-half Gary Cahill. It wasn't the sweetest strike of Maxi's life but it had enough power on it to beat Jussi Jaaskelainen and inflict on Bolton their first home league defeat of the season. "We hope it might be a springboard, we've had three very good results now," said Hodgson. "We have been defending so much better in that time and I believe we have the players here who will score goals. I've always felt that but the criticism was we were leaking too many. There is a lot more work to do. It's a rebuilding job but there is light at the end of the tunnel." ·