Philippe Coutinho celebrated his new five-year contract with an added- time winner as Liverpool kept their FA Cup hopes alive in a dramatic late turnaround at Bolton.
The Brazil international committed his long-term future to the club on Monday and marked the occasion with only his third goal of the season in the second additional minute to seal a 2-1 win.
Raheem Sterling had equalised in the 85th minute as Wanderers buckled under the pressure of having to play the last 25 minutes with 10 men after Neil Danns’ dismissal following Eidur Gudjohnsen’s disputed penalty.
Liverpool, as you would expect, created the greater number of opportunities throughout, with Sterling planting a shot against the post early on after being given far too much time to turn and pick his spot by the Bolton defence.
The England man was at the heart of most of Liverpool’s good work and Dorian Dervite produced the tackle of the match early in the second half to thwart him just as he was about to pull the trigger.
If Liverpool were frustrated by their opponents then they were infuriated by referee Roger East’s decision to award a 59th-minute penalty.
Martin Skrtel was naive in dangling a leg but the 19-year-old Zach Clough showed the nous of an old pro in taking full advantage to go down from minimal, if any, contact. Gudjohnsen drilled home from the spot but Bolton soon found themselves down to 10 men when Danns was sent off for a second bookable offence for a foul on Joe Allen.
Daniel Sturridge was sent on to find a goal in the final 20 minutes, just as he had on his comeback against West Ham on Saturday, but it was Jordan Henderson, another substitute, and defender Emre Can who came closest, with the former’s
volley deflected on to a post by David Wheater and goalkeeper Andy Lonergan finger-tipping the other on to the crossbar.
Sterling was the saviour five minutes from time as he slotted Can’s pass through Andy Lonergan’s legs – Liverpool’s 700th FA Cup goal – before Coutinho bent one into the top corner from distance as Bolton’s resistance eventually broke and the Reds booked a fifth-round tie at Crystal Palace.