LIVERPOOL continue to set the pace of the Premier League.

A hard-fought 2-0 victory away at Bolton keeps their title challenge ticking over nicely, even if there were some uncomfortable moments for Rafa Benitez.

Two weeks ago at Tottenham, the Reds spurned enough chances to rout their opponents before the hour-mark, but were punished by a late sucker punch.

You would think that they might have learned their lesson, but for a while at The Reebok Stadium it seemed like a bad case of deja-vu.

Liverpool were so dominant in the first half that they should have been three goals to the good inside the first 30 minutes. But they went in at half-time grateful for Rob Styles and his controversial decision to disallow Kevin Davies' headed equaliser.

Styles was the man who gave Manchester United a dodgy penalty against Bolton in September and, though he looked to have got this decision right, he certainly won't be getting any Christmas cards from Gary Megson this year.

It's impossible to overstate how superior Liverpool were to their opponents in the first half. Megson had deployed Fabrice Muamba to shackle Steven Gerrard, left Kevin Davies up front on his own and compacted everyone else into a formation so tight that they filled only the central third of the pitch.

Liverpool had the freedom of the flanks and they put it to excellent use, passing the ball and spreading the play superbly. Dirk Kuyt crashed a shot against the bar before opening the scoring with a delicate header, but Robbie Keane blew a chance to increase the lead by air-kicking from two metres out.

Keane wasn't the only culprit in a game that could have filled a bloopers DVD on its own.

Ricardo Gardner somehow managed to fall on his bottom after rounding Pepe Reina in the second half, Gerrard angled wide in front of an open goal, Gardner was at it again, blasting over from close range and Fernado Torres, on as sub, blew a fine chance by shooting wide from close range.

What on earth did they put in the tea at The Reebok Stadium?

Torres, his miss aside, was much improved from his lethargic showing at White Hart Lane in midweek.

Recovery

Benitez was sensible to take his recovery slowly, he's far too important to be rushed back.

It was he who supplied the cross for Gerrard to finally put the game to bed in the 77th minute and he was at the centre of everything in the second half, arriving just when Liverpool were beginning to be pegged back by a Bolton side eager to cause an upset.

Benitez, when his heart-rate finally returns to normal, will be justifiably pleased with this result.

It is Liverpool's seventh league win in their last eight games and it came at one of the hardest places in the country to pick up points.

The title challenge is still on, the quality of play is as excellent as it has been in his time at the club and Torres is finally back to full fitness.

Now, if he could just get his players to stop missing open goals and simple chances, just think what they could achieve this season.