Certainly Bolton’s nervous defending was clear indication of the trouble they are in and they owed a lot to goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.He blocked well after Claus Jensen, sent away down the left by Radostin Kishishev, cut inside to shoot low and hard. Next he threw himself to his left to push away Fish’s header, again from a ball provided by Kishishev, then held a Jensen free-kick by his right-hand post. And, right on the half-time whistle, came the best save of all, from Shaun Bartlett at his near post.Ironically, Jaaskelainen was at fault for Charlton’s goal a minute into the second half. He slid out of the penalty area clutching the ball, conceding a free-kick curled in by Jensen. Though the ‘keeper got a fist to the ball, the clearance was only half-complete.

Back it came for Rufus to shovel forward and for Fish to finish.There were several clear chances for Charlton to clinch the second goal which would have put the afternoon beyond Bolton. Jason Euell, the club’s leading scorer, was particularly wasteful, sidefooting one good chance wide and stabbing another in the same direction with only Jaaskelainen to beat.Twice Mike Whitlow managed crucial interventions, with the rest of his defence absent upfield in search of the equaliser. So it was appropriate that the move for Bolton’s equaliser originated with Whitlow. His upfield punt came off a Charlton head to Frandsen, who turned the ball inside on the volley. Djorkaeff cooly controlled the ball on his chest before bicycling it home.”I am very pleased we got something,” said Allardyce, “because it is so hard to come back in the Premiership once you go a goal down.” Not if you have Djorkaeff, though.. What odds on Emile Heskey scoring his first League goal since September, turning in a match-winning performance and eclipsing hot-to-trot England wannabe James Beattie on his home ground? Surely that amateur bookmaker and, allegedly, mug punter Michael Owen would know. Unfortunately for Heskey, and fortunately for Beattie, England’s coach, Sven Goran Eriksson, failed in his bid to attend this game after he had earlier in the day run the rule over Manchester United versus Chelsea.Liverpool started this match as if it were they and not Southampton who were unbeaten in nine games and racing up the table.

Owen, named earlier as the England man who allegedly lost £30,000 in bets at the World Cup, should have scored after just 19 seconds after John Arne Riise’s drive came back off Antti Niemi. The Finnish goalkeeper recovered well to save.Then, less than 120 seconds later, the visitors came close again when Danny Murphy’s stinging volley was brilliantly turned round the post by Niemi. But they were not to be denied and got the goal their flying start thoroughly merited when the goalkeeper failed to come for Riise’s free-kick and Heskey headed in from five yards. It ended the longest goal drought in his, admittedly often parched, career.The striker should have scored again when clean through eight minutes later but delayed his shot and Niemi blocked The visitors were transformed as an attacking force. Maybe it was the arrival last week of Ian Rush (660 appearances, 346 goals) to coach the forwards.Southampton had heavily watered the pitch an hour before kick-off – and then it poured down – but the slicker surface suited Liverpool more.

Saints’ manager, Gordon Strachan, left well alone and named an unchanged side, even though there must be a long-term concern over who will partner James Beattie. It is something Strachan will have to address.At times it showed, with Jo Tessem, for all his physical presence, looking like what he is – a makeshift striker He was replaced on the hour. It was all bitterly disappointing for the home side – and their increasingly agitated manager – in front of their biggest crowd of a thrilling season.Maybe Strachan had tempted fate, describing this game in his programme notes as a European qualification six-pointer. Other results yesterday went against his side – they slipped to the edge of that zone.The game was also live on television – hence the strange kick-off time – but the Saints never looked like repeating the “public hanging” (the words of Tottenham’s director of football, David Pleat) they had inflicted on Spurs when the cameras were last here two weeks ago.Instead G?rd Houllier – in charge of Liverpool for the 250th time – was able to exorcise the terrible burden of his side not having won in their previous 11 League games. In doing so they claimed a more desirable record instead by becoming the first visitors to win here this season.