LONDON, 30 August 2004 — Striker Kevin Davies scored late in the first half to give Bolton Wanderers a 1-0 home win over Liverpool that lifted them into third place in the Premier League yesterday.

In a quick counterattack in the 38th minute, Henrik Pedersen crossed low from the left. The ball whizzed between Bolton’s Greek Euro 2004 winner Stelios Giannakopoulos and goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, who failed to cut it out, in the six-yard box to Davies beyond the far post, who shot right-footed into the net.

Bolton have nine points from four matches, three less than leaders Arsenal, who won 4-1 at Norwich City on Saturday, and Chelsea, 2-1 winners at home to Southampton.

Liverpool, going down to their second successive defeat after losing to Graz AK of Austria in the second leg of their Champions League qualifier in midweek, remain equal 10th on four points after three matches.

Liverpool’s Spanish debutant Luis Garcia steered what would have been an equalizer past Dudek from a chip over the defense, but a goal was ruled out in an offside decision that looked dubious in television replays.

Thompson Earns Celtic a Record Win Over Rangers

In Glasgow, Scottish champions Celtic secured a record seventh successive win over Glasgow rivals Rangers yesterday with a 1-0 victory courtesy of midfielder Alan Thompson’s venomous late strike.

The English midfielder hammered past goalkeeper Stefan Klos with the help of the bar on 85 minutes.

Celtic moved on to 12 points with a 100 percent record from four games in the Premier League while Aberdeen are also unbeaten in second place on eight. Third-placed Rangers have seven. Rangers, looking to recover from their aggregate defeat to CSKA Moscow in a Champions League qualifier on Wednesday, handed debuts to six players as they chased their first win at Celtic Park since Rod Wallace scored in March 2000. They opted to play on the counter attack from the start and two excellent interventions by Celtic’s Didier Agathe denied visiting strikers Dado Prso and Nacho Novo in the opening stages.

Feyenoord and Ajax Held by Vitesse and Utrecht

In Amsterdam, Feyenoord regained top spot in the Dutch first division after being held 1-1 by Vitesse Arnhem yesterday while title holders Ajax Amsterdam dropped their first points of the season with a 1-1 home draw against Utrecht.

Feyenoord lead the standings on goal difference with seven points after three matches followed by PSV Eindhoven, Ajax and Vitesse — also on seven. PSV played out a 2-2 draw at NAC Breda on Saturday.

Feyenoord, without a win in Arnhem since 1995, started well and took the lead after 25 minutes when Tunisian central defender Karim Saidi headed home.