Rafael Benitez saw his Liverpool side end years of misery at the Reebok Stadium to emphasise their Champions League credentials.
It was a sweet success for the Spanish coach, but he got a helping hand from Jussi Jaaskelainen.
The Bolton goalkeeper sent Liverpool on their way with a bizarre own goal in the 11th minute and they never looked back.
Ryan Babel and Fabio Aurelio extended their lead before Tamir Cohen pulled a goal back.
Bolton meanwhile are locked in a relegation battle and the worry for manager Gary Megson is that goals have been hard to come by following the departure of Nicolas Anelka to Chelsea.
Yet they could have been two goals to the good inside the first 10 minutes.
El-Hadji Diouf's free-kick beat goalkeeper Jose Reina in the fifth minute only to come back off the post.
Four minutes later Ivan Campo swung in a corner from the left and Joey O'Brien peeled away from his marker.
O'Brien managed to get in a shot at the back post but Steven Gerrard made the clearance.
Liverpool made the breakthrough in bizarre fashion after 11 minutes when Gerrard's effort appeared to be going wide. However Jaaskelainen made a hash of it and inexplicably turned the ball into his own net.
Jaaskelainen redeemed himself in the 18th minute by turning over a rasping drive from Babel after he had latched on to a good ball from Gerrard.
Bolton almost drew level in the 27th minute when Kevin Nolan picked out Kevin Davies with a marvellous cross.
Davies got enough power on his header from close range but Reina made a superb save low down to his left.
Davies turned provider two minutes later. He clipped the ball through to Nolan, who had sprung the offside trap, only for Reina to make the block.
Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia was then booked for tripping Diouf in the 35th minute and they almost paid for that indiscretion.
Matt Taylor delivered a good free-kick but Gary Cahill, under pressure from Martin Skrtel, headed wide.
Liverpool hit back and a minute later Babel weaved his way into the penalty area after a surging run only for Cahill to make a timely clearance.
Babel was a threat every time he had the ball and stung Jaaskelainen's hands with a powerful effort a minute before the break.
Liverpool were in the ascendancy and it was little surprise they extended their lead in the 59th minute.
Carragher whipped in a cross from the right and found Dirk Kuyt only for his smart volley to come back back off the post.
Cahill got the ball away but only as far as Babel, who swept his effort beyond Jaaskelainen.
It was now an uphill task for Bolton given that they had scored only two goals in their last four games in all competitions.
Liverpool were not content to sit on their laurels either with Babel, Kuyt and Fernando Torres giving them strong attacking options as the match reached a crucial stage.
They made it 3-0 in the 75th minute with a superb strike from Fabio Aurelio when there seemed little on.
He took the ball on his chest before smashing a shot beyond Jaaskelainen from the edge of the area.
Bolton to their credit, however, refused to lie down and pulled a goal back four minutes later.
Cohen, son of former Liverpool favourite Avi, ghosted in to head home a corner from Taylor.
Bolton may be in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup but the prospect of second tier football next season is all too real.
It was a sweet success for the Spanish coach, but he got a helping hand from Jussi Jaaskelainen.
The Bolton goalkeeper sent Liverpool on their way with a bizarre own goal in the 11th minute and they never looked back.
Ryan Babel and Fabio Aurelio extended their lead before Tamir Cohen pulled a goal back.
Bolton meanwhile are locked in a relegation battle and the worry for manager Gary Megson is that goals have been hard to come by following the departure of Nicolas Anelka to Chelsea.
Yet they could have been two goals to the good inside the first 10 minutes.
El-Hadji Diouf's free-kick beat goalkeeper Jose Reina in the fifth minute only to come back off the post.
Four minutes later Ivan Campo swung in a corner from the left and Joey O'Brien peeled away from his marker.
O'Brien managed to get in a shot at the back post but Steven Gerrard made the clearance.
Liverpool made the breakthrough in bizarre fashion after 11 minutes when Gerrard's effort appeared to be going wide. However Jaaskelainen made a hash of it and inexplicably turned the ball into his own net.
Jaaskelainen redeemed himself in the 18th minute by turning over a rasping drive from Babel after he had latched on to a good ball from Gerrard.
Bolton almost drew level in the 27th minute when Kevin Nolan picked out Kevin Davies with a marvellous cross.
Davies got enough power on his header from close range but Reina made a superb save low down to his left.
Davies turned provider two minutes later. He clipped the ball through to Nolan, who had sprung the offside trap, only for Reina to make the block.
Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia was then booked for tripping Diouf in the 35th minute and they almost paid for that indiscretion.
Matt Taylor delivered a good free-kick but Gary Cahill, under pressure from Martin Skrtel, headed wide.
Liverpool hit back and a minute later Babel weaved his way into the penalty area after a surging run only for Cahill to make a timely clearance.
Babel was a threat every time he had the ball and stung Jaaskelainen's hands with a powerful effort a minute before the break.
Liverpool were in the ascendancy and it was little surprise they extended their lead in the 59th minute.
Carragher whipped in a cross from the right and found Dirk Kuyt only for his smart volley to come back back off the post.
Cahill got the ball away but only as far as Babel, who swept his effort beyond Jaaskelainen.
It was now an uphill task for Bolton given that they had scored only two goals in their last four games in all competitions.
Liverpool were not content to sit on their laurels either with Babel, Kuyt and Fernando Torres giving them strong attacking options as the match reached a crucial stage.
They made it 3-0 in the 75th minute with a superb strike from Fabio Aurelio when there seemed little on.
He took the ball on his chest before smashing a shot beyond Jaaskelainen from the edge of the area.
Bolton to their credit, however, refused to lie down and pulled a goal back four minutes later.
Cohen, son of former Liverpool favourite Avi, ghosted in to head home a corner from Taylor.
Bolton may be in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup but the prospect of second tier football next season is all too real.
