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Liverpool v Bolton: The Stats

The long history between Liverpool and Bolton will reach 134 matches contested on Saturday, here we take a look at some of the key stats between the two sides in their previous meetings.

Steven Gerrard could break the record appearances in matches between Bolton and Liverpool on Saturday
Steven Gerrard could break the record appearances in matches between Bolton and Liverpool on Saturday
Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Liverpool have largely dominated their 133 clashes with Bolton Wanderers, winning 45% of the meetings (60 wins) while the Whites have won just one third of those games (33%, 44 matches).

The Reds of course also dominate when it comes to the total goal tally, outscoring Bolton 207-174 in all competitions. But when it comes to the FA Cup, Bolton have an aggregate lead of 25-8 and lead League Cup clashes 8-7.

Wanderers also come out on top when it comes to the biggest victory between the two sides - the 8-1 win recorded at Burnden Park on 7th May 1932, in which Bolton legend Jack Milsom notched the first four goals. Liverpool's biggest win was a 7-2 hammering at Anfield on 10th September 1930, thanks to two goals from their third highest goalscorer of all time Gordon Hodgson.

When it comes to personal goalscoring feats Wanderers also dominate the encounters. The top scorer in games between Bolton and Liverpool is Joe Smith, who scored 12 goals in 21 appearances between 1909 and 1927. Smith is the tenth highest goalscorer of all-time in the English top flight with 243 league goals and Bolton's second highest ever goalscorer. He scored 254 goals in 449 appearances for Wanderers and was capped five times by England, scoring once.

Second to Smith in goals scored in matches involving Bolton and Liverpool is The Reds' Jack Parkinson, who notched an impressive 11 goals in ten games against Wanderers. He is closely followed by Bolton's Ray Westwood (9) and Nat Lofthouse (8), Bolton's all-time record goalscorer, the seventh highest goalscorer in English top-flight football and a scorer of 30 goals in 33 England caps.

The most appearances made by a single player in games between the two sides could be broken this weekend. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is currently level on 22 appearances with Bolton's Alex Finney, a one club man who made 483 appearances for the Whites in which he scored just twice. Gerrard and Finney are closely followed on 21 appearances by Wanderers' Ted Vizard and Stan Hanson, both one club men with 467 and 384 appearances respectively, and Jussi Jaaskelainen, who surpassed both with 527 appearances for the Whites between 1997 and 2012.

Only four players have ever transferred from Bolton to Liverpool, the first being William Stuart on a free transfer in 1910. The next came 45 years later when Bobby Murdoch moved to Merseyside on a free. A year later Johnny Wheeler moved west for £9,000 and the final Bolton player to join Liverpool was Jason McAteer for £4.5m in September 1995.

Ten players have moved in the opposite direction, starting with Joe Hewitt in August 1910. Dick Edmed and Jack Tennant followed in 1932 and 1936, before stellar names made the same move decades later. World Cup winner Roger Hunt joined Wanderers for £32,000 in December 1969, followed by Peter Thompson for £18,000 in 1974. 11 years later Phil Neal moved to Burnden Park on a free and managed Bolton for seven years. More recent signings include El-Hadji Diouf for £3.5m in June 2005, David N'Gog for £4m in August 2011 and current Wanderers captain Jay Spearing for £1.7m in August 2013.

The only player who has played for both Bolton and Liverpool that truly matters is Emile Heskey, who Whites fans will hope can come back to haunt his former club in their FA Cup clash on Saturday.