Premier League round-up:It was hardly a proper test of being able to cope without Steven Gerrard but Liverpool did more than enough to dispose of a woeful West Ham, winning 3-0 at Anfield.
With the captain out for a month with a hamstring tear manager Roy Hodgson called for his players to step up to fill the void and the Premier League’s bottom side provide the perfect opposition.
First-half goals from Glen Johnson and Maxi Rodriguez, either side of a Dirk Kuyt penalty, were enough to wrap up the points in the first half.
The visiting fans were less than impressed and directed their anger at manager Avram Grant with chants of ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’.
It is unlikely Liverpool will have an easier game this season and it was the ideal tonic for them after two poor performances in a 1-1 draw at Wigan and last Saturday’s defeat at Stoke which ended a six-game unbeaten run.
Raul Meireles looked better in a more accustomed central position, filling Gerrard’s place, while Johnson and Rodriguez also did well and even the much-criticised Christian Poulsen had his best game since joining in the summer.
If there was one criticism it was that Hodgson’s side eased up so much after the break they lost all the momentum and rhythm built up in the first half.
But they never looked in danger of conceding and the clean sheet was Jose Reina’s 134th in all competitions, taking him past Tommy Lawrence into fourth on the club’s all-time list.
Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander each helped themselves to two goals as brilliant Boltonbrushed aside 10-man Newcastle5-1 and ensured Kevin Nolan's big Reebok Stadium return turned sour.
Davies hit a pair from the penalty spot while Elmander fired two in the second half and Lee Chung-yong also got on the scoresheet as Owen Coyle’s men hit the dizzy heights of fourth in the table.
Newcastle, for whom Nolan had missed a first-minute chance, grabbed their only goal from Andy Carroll on 51 but played the final 15 minutes with 10 men after the dismissal of Fabricio Coloccini.
Blackpool'sLuke Varney and Marlon Harewood piled on the pressure for Wolvesby firing Blackpool to a 2-1 victory at Bloomfield Road.
Varney set up a thrilling Premier League contest with a stunning volley after just three minutes and Harewood added a second just before the interval.
Kevin Doyle set up a tense finish after Nenad Milijas hit the post for Wolves in a fine second-half response but the hosts held on.
New Republic of Ireland international Jon Walters netted twice as Stokewon 3-0 at West Bromto extend their winning run in the Premier League.
Matthew Etherington’s penalty put the visitors 1-0 up in the 55th minute after referee Chris Foy adjudged Scott Carson to have fouled Kenwyne Jones.
Substitute Walters converted another spot-kick with five minutes of normal time remaining and then bagged his second in time added on as the Potters secured their third successive victory.