Roy Hodgson is tipping Fernando Torres to come back to his best - but admitted he is playing under the weight of great expectations.
The Liverpool chief saw Torres fluff a great early chance to score before his crafty touch set up the winner for Maxi Rodriguez and the Kop boss reckons the Spaniard is showing signs of recovery.
Hodgson said: "Quality is permanent. It will come for him. Front players play with small margins.
"If he takes the ball round Jussi Jaaskelainen and taps the ball in he is flying in the air. He doesn't and suddenly he can see the headlines facing him 'Torres misses again.'
"You can't change that, all you can do is to encourage him because I know he is a magnificent player. I know over the next 30-odd games he will do a good job for us."
Hodgson also admitted he was glad of the win as he faces talks with new owner John W Henry this week. He said: "We have contact on an almost daily basis, he is very interested.
"He is very committed and anxious. He wants to know what needs to be done and how to move the club forward. That is music to our ears.
"We will have lots of meetings and spend some time together and see how I see things panning out. I am delighted we are doing that after a victory.
"We live in a world of euphoria and tragedy. I try to keep it on an even keel between those two situations but the truth is we can't."
Bolton were fuming at referee Martin Atkinson for missing two penalty calls - a Jamie Carragher handball and a push on striker Kevin Davies who was bundled over by Martin Skrtel and Sotirios Kyrgiakos.
Boss Owen Coyle said: "I thought we should have had a penalty from a clear handball and possibly another. You need to come out on the right side of decisions in those games.
"I seem to say the same things every week. If these things even themselves out we are due about 20 decisions between now and Christmas.
"I don?t think we deserved to lose, but we know the margins are very fine. We had opportunities and our application was first class. We are disappointed.
"Liverpool will feel it's a great goal, but on another day it hits Gary's shin and is cleared. They got the break and it went through his legs."
Liverpool did suffer some bad news, with Joe Cole picking up a hamstring problem that could see him sidelined for a month - the latest blow in his new career on Merseyside.
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