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Steven Gerrard responded perfectly to having his early season form questioned by boss Rafael Benitez when he belted Liverpool's winner in a 3-2 victory over Bolton at the Reebok.

But the visitors were made to fight desperately hard by a Bolton side who were down to 10 men for much of the second period. In fact, Gary Megson's men had been ahead twice through Kevin Davies and Tamir Cohen, and Liverpool only really got on top when Sean Davis was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Glen Johnson had fired one equaliser in the first half, before Fernando Torres pulled Liverpool level at 2-2 a couple of minutes after Davis angrily trudged off. Then Gerrard struck with a fierce drive seven minutes from the end to lift at least some of the pressure from Benitez.

Bolton made one change from the side that won at Tranmere in the Carling Cup in midweek, with Tamir Cohen replacing Mark Davies. Liverpool, who lost disastrously at home to Aston Villa on Monday, gave new Greek signing Sotirios Kyrgiakos his his debut in place of Martin Skrtel, while Spanish winger Albert Riera replaced Yossi Benayoun on the left-flank.

Riera soon knew he was in a game. He was clattered by a strong Sam Ricketts tackle and then collected the Welsh international's boot in his ribs minutes later.

Predictably Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba was once again detailed to man-mark Gerrard, just as he did in both matches between the sides last season.

Liverpool soon had chances. Riera's cross was missed 12 yards out by Lucas, and the ball was returned into the box by Johnson for Fernando Torres to see a glancing header skim wide. Torres was next in the wars, cut down by Gary Cahill, with the defender one of three Bolton first-half bookings, the others being Davis and Muamba.

The visitors had plenty of possession, but without making many clear-cut chances, Matt Taylor and Cohen working tirelessly in midfield, breaking up Liverpool's flow. One through-ball from Lucas saw Torres shake off Cahill and attempt to chip Jussi Jaaskelainen from just inside the box, but the goalkeeper pulled down the effort.

At the other end, a Taylor free-kick was headed away for a corner by Torres, and that gave Bolton their breakthrough. Taylor's 32nd-minute corner curled to the far post where Johan Elmander headed it down into the six-yard box for Davies to turn past Jose Reina from a couple of yards.

Liverpool surged back looking for an equaliser, and it almost came when Torres chested down Johnson's cross - but he fired across goal and wide of the far post. But the visitors were level in the 42nd minute when a corner was cleared only as far as Johnson just outside the box, and he fired a low show inside Jaaskelainen's near post.

Bolton caught Liverpool asleep at the beginning of the second period. Liverpool's failure to clear a right-wing cross saw them go behind again just two minutes after the break. Davies was able to flick the ball across the box, where two defenders failed to stop Cohen lashing the ball home from eight-yards.

Bolton were reduced to 10 men after 54 minutes. Lucas was racing towards the Bolton box when Davis clipped his heels from behind. Referee Alan Wiley produced a second yellow and then the red card. Davis was furious. He had confronted the Brazilian before receiving his marching orders and ran towards Lucas again, before being halted by a colleague and ushered away.

It was the incentive Liverpool needed. Gerrard hit the bar before Torres took a chest-down from Dirk Kuyt before steering the equaliser past Jaaskelainen in the 56th minute.

Next into the book was Gerrard for a foul on Muamba, before Benayoun replaced Riera after 63 minutes. Not surprisingly, it was all Liverpool now. Andriy Voronin was sent on after 74 minutes to replace Javier Mascherano as the pressure on Bolton increased.

Torres and Kyrgiakos both had chances, and Bolton sent on another defender in Gretar Steinsson for Cohen with 12 minutes left.

Liverpool's pressure paid off with seven minutes left when Gerrard crashed the ball home from 12 yards. Benayoun's corner had been headed down by Torres for the Liverpool skipper to finally put his side ahead - and it proved decisive.

Liverpool slumped to their second Premier League defeat in nine days as they lost 3-1 to Aston Villa to put their title credentials firmly on the line.

Villa produced a defiant, organised display and deserved their first win at Anfield since 2001.

The result also ended Liverpool's 31-match unbeaten home league record stretching back to December 2007, when Manchester United were the last winners at Anfield.

But the spotlight will now be on Liverpool, who only lost twice in the league last season and still did not win the title.

The margin for error is now very fine. You rarely win the crown by losing more than five games in a season, and Liverpool's hopes could already have suffered a mortal blow.

A Lucas own goal and a Curtis Davies header saw Villa 2-0 up at the break. Fernando Torres pulled one back but an Ashley Young penalty settled the points.

Martin Skrtel returned to Liverpool's defence in place of teenager Daniel Ayala, having recovered sufficiently from a jaw injury to be risked.

This was the only change in the Liverpool side from the one that beat Stoke at home last week, with new Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos not included in the squad.

Villa included Curtis Davies, who had recovered from a shoulder injury. Brad Friedel, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Stiliyan Petrov all returned to the side after being rested in the Europa League defeat away to Rapid Vienna last week.

Liverpool produced a vibrant start, but found themselves frustrated by the quick-tackling, quick-thinking Villa midfield.

The hosts could have been ahead in the first minute when Yossi Benayoun's back-header from Torres' chip into the area, beat Friedel but dropped inches wide.

A taste of what was to follow came from Villa's first chance came when Davies met a Nicky Shorey cross with a strong header, but it went straight at Jose Reina.

Torres and Steven Gerrard both saw shots blocked in the six-yard box, before Young was booked after 12 minutes for halting a Dirk Kuyt run.

Then Gerrard struck a first-timer from 20-yards just over from Kuyt's touched pass.

But Liverpool's problems were beginning to mount in a midfield that they were unable to dominate.

Javier Mascherano and Lucas were both fortunate not to be cautioned for fouls on Petrov and Agbonlahor in quick succession.

Torres was also coming in for some rough treatment from Carlos Cuellar, two tackles from behind going unpunished by referee Martin Atkinson.

By now Nigel Reo-Coker and Steve Sidwell were successfully breaking up Gerrard's flow in midfield, and Villa were soon to take the lead.

It came after 33 minutes when Lucas gave away a needless free-kick in midfield. Young swung the set-piece towards the near post, and it was the unfortunate Lucas who rose to head the ball past Reina for an own-goal.

Liverpool's play was sloppy and far too much possession was being conceded with ill-directed passes.

Further calamity came after Reina was booked in first half injury time for kicking the ball away in annoyance when referee Atkinson awarded a disputed corner, Sidwell's shot looking to have clipped a defender.

And from that disputed corner Villa found themselves two up. Shorey's corner swung into the near post and was headed home by Davies.

The hosts have staged some amazing comebacks in this stadium over the years, and they were going to need another massive performance to salvage anything from this situation.

Villa defended with organisation and desire. Roe-Coker was booked for kicking the ball away, and Friedel produced a fine save from a Kuyt header.

Kuyt then saw another header hit a post from a Gerrard corner from the left.

But Villa were still showing great resilience, and breaking quickly to cause Liverpool all sorts of problems at the back, Reo-Coker being only inches away from a third with one sliding attempt.

Liverpool sent on Andriy Voronin for Lucas after 66 minutes, with Friedel producing another fine stop from a Gerrard drive soon after.

But after 72 minutes Liverpool finally gave themselves some hope when Emiliano Insua got down the left and rolled the ball into the six-yard box for Torres to score.

Two minutes later Liverpool were back in despair and Villa celebrating. Shorey's pass into the path of Reo-Coker saw the midfielder surge into the box only to be felled by Gerrard's desperate tackle.

It was a clear penalty and Young stepped up to restore Villa's two-goal lead.

Liverpool's frustration was obvious. Torres was booked for dissent when Young went down injured and asked for treatment. He was eventually replaced by Heskey.

Ryan Babel came on for Benayoun, Liverpool still coming forward. Friedel again made a fine save from a Torres flick, before Kuyt sent a close range effort wide of the far post.

The outstanding Friedel, against his former club, saved from Torres and Glen Johnson, with Skrtel booked in the dying minutes, but Villa held on for a famous victory.

Liverpool put the misery of their opening day defeat at Tottenham firmly behind them with a convincing 4-0 victory over Stoke at Anfield.

Last season Tony Pulis' men grabbed a 0-0 draw in this corresponding fixture, one of the results boss Rafael Benitez maintains cost Liverpool the title.

This time around there was no mistake. Steven Gerrard created two of the goals and new boy Glen Johnson had an outstanding game surging down the right at will.

Benitez bought Johnson, he claimed, to provided that extra adventure in difficult home games. And the England defender underlined just what his new manager meant.

He scored a close range goal on half-time on his home debut, to add to Fernando Torres' fourth-minute opener, and aided Gerrard's advance to set up the third for Dirk Kuyt.

Johnson's run and cross in injury-time presented substitute David Ngog with the fourth to cap an outstanding home debut for the new full-back.

Spanish youngster Daniel Ayala made his full Liverpool debut, with Martin Skrtel failing to recover from a damaged jaw sustained in Saturday's defeat at Spurs.

Ayala, 18, came on as a substitute at White Hart Lane for the injured Skrtel for his first senior appearance for Liverpool.

Yossi Benayoun replaced Ryan Babel, while Stoke made two changes from the side that beat Burnley - Glenn Whelan and Richard Cresswell replacing Liam Lawrence and Ricardo Fuller as Pulis reverted to a more defensive system.

Liverpool fans' group, the Spirit of Shankly, organised a mass distribution of red cards ahead of the game to be waved by supporters protesting at the George Gillett-Tom Hicks ownership of the club.

Resentment runs deep at Anfield at the financial mess the club are in and Benitez's limited transfer budget.

But it was his record signing, Torres, who struck quickly to give the Reds the lead.

Lucas Leiva had seen a skidding 20-yarder held by Thomas Sorensen before Liverpool were ahead after just four minutes.

Gerrard burst through on the right to pull the ball back for his Spanish side-kick to drill past a helpless Sorensen.

Dean Whitehead was booked for an ugly 12th-minute foul on Javier Mascherano and Liverpool should have been two goals up when they broke at pace from their own box.

Torres racing away on the right to fire over a cross that full-back Emiliano Insua sidefooted inches wide having made the same high-speed run down the other flank.

But Stoke maintained their determination and organisation, with Liverpool trying to hit them on the break. Much of the hosts' adventure was coming through Johnson.

Kuyt and Torres had shots saved and from a 44th minute corner they struck again. Kuyt's low header was blocked by Sorensen on the line and the ball fell for £17million signing Johnson to hook home from six yards.

Stoke came out after the break determined to get back into the game. A string of dangerous corners resulted in Jose Reina making an outstanding save to his right to keep out a fierce Delap drive.

Johnson then had to clear on the far post as a James Beattie cross-shot fizzed across the area.

But Liverpool increased the tempo of their game and were running at Stoke from all angles.

Gerrard fired in a 20-yard effort which Sorensen blocked, with Johnson now attacking down the right at every opportunity.

The Reds threatened to run away with things as Torres saw a lofted shot saved and Johnson cut into the box again to force Sorensen into a low save.

The third goal arrived after 78 minutes, with Johnson sending Gerrard into the box with a clever pass. The Liverpool captain powered on to drill in a low cross which Kuyt slid past Sorensen from close range.

Liverpool sent on Andriy Voronin and Albert Riera for Gerrard and Kuyt with nine minutes left, then three minutes later Ngog replaced Torres.

And it was Ngog who headed home from under the bar after another fine run and cross from Johnson had deflected into his path in injury-time.