Maxi rescues Reds, Magpies score five
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Maxi Rodriguez scored four minutes from time to earn Liverpool a 1-0 win at Bolton Wanderers which lifted the Reds out of the English Premier League relegation zone on Sunday.
The Argentine midfielder latched on to a Fernando Torres backheel to secure a first away league win of the season for the 18-time champion which had again looked totally bereft of attacking ideas.
That was not the case at St. James' Park where Newcastle United chalked up its biggest home win over local rival Sunderland for more than half a century when it thrashed the 10-man Wearsiders 5-1 with a hat-trick from captain Kevin Nolan.
Liverpool had won its last seven games against Bolton but was desperately short of class at The Reebok.
It defended well, particularly in holding off the muscular presence of striker Kevin Davies, but created little in attack with Joe Cole having another miserable day and Torres also out of touch.
However, with a goalless stalemate looming, the Spain forward opened up the home defense with a deft backheel through his marker's legs to send Rodriguez through to poke the ball under Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Liverpool's second successive win lifted it from 18th to 12th on 12 points, 13 behind leader Chelsea, which won 2-1 at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.
"It's nice to be out of that bottom three, we've been in there a while so it's been difficult to look at the table," Liverpool center back Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports.
"It was a tough game, not a great performance but we dug in."
Newcastle matched the four-goal margin of its 6-2 victory over Sunderland in 1956.
Although the visitors had Titus Bramble sent off in the 53rd for a professional foul they were already 0-3 down.
Darren Bent got Sunderland's goal in the dying minutes.
"It's fantastic, that hat-trick will live with me forever," said Nolan.
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