The result saw Roy Hodgson's men climb to 12th place in the table after an afternoon to forget was arrested by the Argentine. Bolton remained in the top half of the standings as they couldn't repeat the 2-2 draw with Manchester United from September.
Bolton manager Owen Coyle was forced to make one change from the 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic last weekend after Martin Petrov pulled out with a hamstring injury. Free-kick specialist Matthew Taylor was drafted in to fill the vacated left-wing spot.
Opposite number Roy Hodgson kept faith in the same starting eleven that gained the morale boosting 2-1 victory against Blackburn Rovers seven days ago.
Liverpool took control of proceedings from kick-off as Bolton began tentatively. A midfield slip in the eight minute from the host's allowed Steven Gerrard to play Fernando Torres clean through on goal for the first chance of the match.
In a style that befitted his poor start to the season, the Spaniard lacked conviction and acceleration as he cut back inside and was crowded out by Gary Cahill and Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Stuart Holden then began to get his foot on the ball and passed Bolton back into the match. The United States international stung the hands of Pepe Reina in the 23rd minute after his volley from the edge of the box drew a gasp from the Reebok Stadium support.
Chung-Yong Lee - who alternated flanks with Taylor - was then played into the Liverpool penalty area three minutes later. An excellent tackle from Jamie Carragher on the cover drew cries from the crowd that were correctly waved away by referee Martin Atkinson.
The teams continued to trade opportunities for the rest of the half. Muambu blasted a shot marginally wide in the 37th minute before Gerrard should have done better when he spooned a shot from the edge of the area on the stroke of injury time.
Bolton burst out of the traps in the second period and Paul Konchesky denied Johan Elamder on the back post with a fine interception.
As Bolton continued to push, a foray up the pitch for Liverpool saw Joe Cole fall to the ground in pain in the 62nd minute. Another disappointing afternoon for the summer signing came to an end and he was taken off for David Ngog.
Despite the pressure, chances were still at a premium for Coyle's men. This approach was nearly punished in the 66th minute when Sotirios Kyrgiakos headed a corner just over.
The previously ineffectual Maxi Rodriguez then burst into life in the 70th minute after he was played in by Gerrard. The Argentine followed his deep cross to Torres with a bicycle kick from the Spaniard's knock down that, again, just went over the cross bar.
Bolton then went up the pitch and forced a deflection from an Elmander shot that went just wide for a corner in the 72nd minute. The dead ball from Taylor was then met by the powerful Zat Knight but his effort was off target.
Kevin Davies continued to unsettle Liverpool's defence and he was felled out wide by Martin Skrtel on 75 minutes. The England international couldn't quite get enough purchase on a header from Taylor's subsequent free-kick to nudge the ball into Reina's net.
Torres' Reebok misery came to an end in the 86th minute as he provided the assist for Maxi in stylish fashion. The ex-Atletico Madrid team-mates combined after a delightful flick fed the Argentine who fired in from close range despite a touch from Jaaskelainen's legs.
Bolton pushed in vain for an equaliser but couldn't forge an opportunity in the remaining minutes. A defeat was hard to stomach for Coyle, but the final whistle came as music to Hodgson's ears.
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