Liverpool were put to the test for the full 90 minutes against Bolton, but saw themselves through to the 5th round of the FA Cup thanks to late goals from Raheem Sterling and Phillipe Coutinho.
The Reds hit the woodwork three times in the game before Eidur Gudjohnsen put Bolton Wanderers ahead with a penalty. The Reds looked like they could be on their way out of the competition, before Sterling equalised in the 85th minute. Coutinho then produced a magnificent finish in injury time to book the Reds a trip to Crystal Palace in the 5th round.
Bolton started the game quickly, pressing Liverpool and looking to stop them from getting the ball moving however it was the Reds that had the first chance. After a quick interchange of passes between Phillipe Coutinho and Adam Lallana, the ball was rolled across to Steven Gerrard however Gerrard's placed shot couldn't beat Andy Lonergan.
Liverpool went close again after 15 minutes when Lazar Markovic started a counter-attack with the ball eventually finding Raheem Sterling. Sterling turned past David Wheater but Lonergan parried his left footed effort, then grabbed the ball before Adam Lallana was allowed to shoot.
Bolton conjured a chance of their own, somewhat fortuitously, moments later as Josh Vela's deflected cross fell to former Chelsea striker Adam Gudjohnen, with the striker's half volley flying over the bar.
The best chance of the first half fell to Bolton's David Wheater after Adam Lallana conceded a free kick on the edge of the area. Wheater met the ball into the box with power however his header was too close to Mignolet.
Raheem Sterling struck outside of the post on the half hour mark as his curled effort had Lonergan beaten, but couldn't quite creep into the corner of the net. The Reds once again came close right on the half time whistle as a long spell of passing was brough to an end with Phillipe Coutinho's shot, which flashed wide of the post.
The second half started much like the first, with Liverpool on the front foot, Raheem Sterling produced an excellent save from Lonergan as he attempted to float the ball into the top right hand corner. Changes were made soon after as Adam Lallana was force off with a slight knock, Jordan Henderson coming on for him seeing Steven Gerrard pushed into a more advanced role.
The game was brought to life as youngster Zach Clough rolled the ball past Martn Skrtel before going down under a slight challenge from the Slovakian. Referee Roger East deemed there to be enough contact to award a penalty, which was rolled into the net by Gudjohsen in the 57th minute.
Bolton could have gone further ahead soon after through the same man after Liam Feeney's cross made it's way to Gudjohnsen, who couldn't beat Mignolet with his header going straight to the Belgian.
Things went somewhat sour soon after for Bolton as holding midfielder Neil Danns was sent off for a second yellow card, leaving the Trotters with just 10 men. Brendan Rodgers saw this and threw on the cavalry, bringing on Fabio Borini and Daniel Sturridge. Sturridge was a Bolton loanee during his time at Chelsea, scoring eight goals in 12 games for the club.
With around 15 minutes left on the clock it seemed as if Liverpool had equalised, as a header out from a corner fell to Jordan Henderson. Henderson's right footed strike seemed to be heading for the goal before it deflected off David Wheater's head and hit the post. Wheater was a stalwart in the Bolton defence all night, saving his side on numerous occasions.
Liverpool hit the woodwork for the third time with just minutes left on the clock, Emre Can moving past his man on the edge of the area, only to see his left footd shot superbly tipped onto the post by Lonergan. At this point it would have been forgiven of Liverpool to think it wasn't going to be their night. This wasn't to be the case though, as Emre Can found Raheem Sterling's run with a lofted through ball, before the wonderkid finally equalised with a volleyed finish through the legs of Lonergan.
As the board went up for five minutes of added time, it seemed as if we would be heading to extra time at the Macrom. Liverpool kept up the pressure, with Steven Gerrard's shot being blocked before the ball was worked to Coutinho on the edge of the area. The Brazilian dropped his shoulder and bent the ball magnificently in the top corner, his first FA Cup goal coming off the underside of the bar to fire his side ahead.
Bolton did have another chance, with a free kick in the Liverpool half not coming to anything before Daniel Sturridge and Fabio Borini combining to almost make it three. It was however Coutinho's goal that saw Liverpool through, with the Brazilian scoring the winner on the same week that he signed his new contact - that will see his side travel to Selhurst Park to take on Alan Pardew's Palace on Saturday 14th February.