Wow! Where did that come from? I’m black and blue with pinching myself. Since my despairing report on the Newcastle game there have been some signs of improvement but, surely, no one expected this.

We didn’t just win, we were the better team. We could have won by a greater margin and we outplayed Liverpool all over the park. In my last report, I suggested matches that we might win to achieve thirty-nine points. I haven’t got one right yet. Who cares? We are four points up on my benchmark.

What has changed to encourage hope to raise its teasing head? First, our England centre back has moved on to pastures new, hardly an event to encourage thoughts of survival. More significantly, a more fluid 4-2-3-1 formation has replaced the rigid 4-4-2, which means that Mark Davies is playing in a central role supported by the deeper lying Reo-Coker and Muamba.

Equally important is the introduction of Sam Ricketts in place of the hapless Robinson at left back. And finally, the leaden pairing of Kevin Davies and Klasnic up front has given way to the more skilful and much fleeter David N’Gog. Add to these changes, a terrific, unflagging work rate from every player and Great Expectations is back on the agenda.

There has been another team change in the last few games, the significance of which I’m still not sure. Jussi Jaaskelainen has a thigh injury and young Adam Bogdan has been playing in his place. Like Kevin Davies, Jussi has been around so long that it’s difficult to think that his time is up. But Bogdan looks the part. He didn’t have overmuch to do in this game but from what I’ve seen in games on the internet Jussi might just have some difficulty in regaining his place.

And to think that I didn’t really want to go to the game. There are so many reasons not to like a kick-off at 5.30 on a Saturday that it would be tedious to list them. On top of this, the weather was awful. Twenty mile an hour, icy, winds supplemented by lashing rain don’t encourage a drive across thePennines. And it was Liverpool, who always seem to take an undeserved three points from us at the Reebok.

I perked up a bit when I heard the team – Bogdan; Steinsson, Wheater, Knight, Ricketts; Reo-Coker, Muamba; Eagles, Mark Davies, Petrov; N’Gog – and found that, despite the gales, the pitch appeared to be reasonably free from its effects. Furthermore, the stadium was almost full to bursting, incredible given the conditions and the crazy kick-off time.

I felt even better after three minutes when we took the lead. We had already seen an energy and vigour from the players that haven’t always been evident this season and the goal just added to the feeling of belief that was spreading through the stadium. Eagles played a ball inside, N’Gog laid it off with a flick to little Davies who sashayed his way through the visitors defence before placing a left foot shot wide of Reina. Incredible! The MotD pundits criticised the Liverpool cover but Sparky’s close control was outstanding.

Eagles looked set to have one of those days when he is unstoppable. A minute after the goal he stole the ball from the full back and managed to hold off the defender’s challenge before crossing low and invitingly towards the far post. It only needed a touch but there was no one there.

Of course, after a few minutes, I began to think ‘This can’t be happening, it’sLiverpool, we’ve scored too early’. The expensive Carroll was a pale replica of the striker that played for Newcastle but his partner, Bellamy, was always a threat; only Ricketts of our defenders could keep pace with him. There was some desperate defending at times from both sides as the game ebbed and flowed but Bolton were firing on all cylinders going forward and always seemed to have more options. Still, the doubt kept nagging, ‘We really need another goal’.

On the half hour, that’s just what we got, and it was another peach. N’Gog fed Eagles who was lurking on the edge of the box. The winger lifted the ball over the line of defenders and Reo-Coker took it on his chest and scored from a couple of yards. I think this is when I began to pinch myself. This must be some kind of parallel universe, I thought, where everything is reversed, the kind of world that produced ‘Ace Rimmer’ in Red Dwarf. Two nil! Against Liverpool!

‘We mustn’t let them score before the interval’ whispered by inner doubting voice, but it wasn’t to be. Their goal, when it came, was a rare moment when the failings that have been evident all season made a brief reappearance. Carroll headed on a lofted clearance, Knight was found wanting, and Bellamy skipped clear and shot past the advancing Bogdan. There was still ten minutes before half time and I was feeling distinctly twitchy.

However, we continued to just about have the edge and might have scored again just before the interval. N’Gog had been troubling his former colleagues throughout the half and he was fouled on the edge of the penalty area. Petrov took the kick and only a first class save by Reina prevented a goal. So near and yet …

During the break, we consoled ourselves with phrases such as ‘we would have taken this before the game’ and ‘a draw would still be a good result’ but the doubts persisted. After all, we had only won one game at home all season and we hadn’t troubled any of the supposed elite for ages. Stephen Gerrard had been quiet but he always seemed to score against us, and there’s always that bugger, Bellamy.

We needn’t have worried. Only a few minutes after the restart, Petrov won a corner on the left. He slung the ball across, Wheater rose majestically and headed back into the goalmouth, and Steinsson lashed it home like a seasoned striker. Yes! We are going to do it! Away with the doubts. The stadium, never exactly quiet, was now roaring, with both sets of fans urging their team on. I’d almost forgotten what it was like.

It seemed inevitable that there would be further scoring but we had to be content with near misses. The nearest thing to a goal came when Agger strode through, carrying the ball out of defence and delivering a stunning drive that bounced off the top of the bar. I thought at first that Bogdan had got a hand to it; if it had been going in he would probably have saved it. Most of our chances fell to Eagles who, despite having a top class game, failed to trouble Reina with his shots. N’Gog was clearly desperate to score against his former club but despite prodigious efforts, he couldn’t manage to do so. Kevin Davies replaced him for the final minutes but despite running about a lot the club captain had little impact.

At last, it was over and we had an unexpected three points. More importantly, we had produced a performance reminiscent of those we became accustomed to when Owen Coyle first took charge of the team. The players must be heartened by the display; belief and confidence must be reinforced. It was a team effort and no one played badly, with the midfield trio of Davies, Reo-Coker and Muamba providing the fulcrum. Sparky was magnificent; since taking the central, advanced role he has improved game by game.

So promising for a long time he is now delivering; hard working, skilful, creative. He looks like a little gem. In the absence of the senior Davies, Reo-Coker was the captain. He has always looked like a captain in waiting and maybe his influence was another reason for the victory. Certainly he had a fine game and covered acres of ground. As the players left the field at half time, he was deep in conversation with Zat Knight. Whether they were discussing the character of Craig Bellamy, with whom Reo-Coker had clashed, or Knight’s error that led to the Liverpool goal, we’ll never know. The third musketeer, Fabrice Muamba, was not as prominent as his two colleagues, but neither was Stephen Gerrard. I don’t think those two things were unrelated. And how did this idea arise that Muamba can’t pass?

Ricketts was probably the pick of the defenders though they all played their part and Wheater in particular performed a few heroics when we were under pressure. Behind them, Bogdan exuded calm and competence. He commanded his area, was untroubled by some devilish corners, and positioned himself well for anything that was thrown at him. At twenty-three, he is still in his infancy as a goalkeeper but he might have earned an extended stay in the team. The only problem with him is the current goalkeeping colours of pink or orange, which clash horribly with his ginger hair.

The lone striker role in this formation demands a lot of selfless running; Kevin Davies has done this for several years. David N’Gog is a very different type of player than Davies but he worked every bit as hard as his forerunner. The sooner his colleagues realise that he doesn’t want the ball in the air, the better he will be. His touch is good and he is quick; most importantly his style is in tune with the passing game to which the manager aspires. Exhaustion led to his substitution; he had given his all.

The wingers also earned plaudits. I’ve never seen Martin Petrov work so hard; he gaveEngland’s right back a torrid time and did his share of defending when required. It’s taken a long time for him to find his feet at the Reebok but at last he is beginning to deliver. Eagles too surprised with his industry. He is a skilful, though sometimes erratic, player; in this game, the only wayward aspects of his game were his shooting and his tendency to shoot when he would have been better to pass.

Have we turned the proverbial corner? I took more comfort from this game than the victory against Stoke. Liverpool didn’t look like a side that might win the league; their defence particularly looked shaky. However, they are seventh in the table and are by no means a poor team whereas Stoke were mediocre when we beat them. My ‘winnable games’ list didn’t expect anything from the next two games, which are Arsenal at home and Norwich away. If we can take a couple of points from them and win the following fixture against Wigan, I’ll begin to believe.

The reservation, of course, is that we haven’t got much in reserve; if one of the starting eleven was to suffer an injury the castle might tumble. However, for now, let’s just rejoice in this unexpected, magnificent victory and let hope hush the insistent voice of doubt.