Having discovered the hard way that belittling opponents can backfire spectacularly, Benitez surprisingly opted to deliver another critique of Sam Allardyce's tactical acumen in the build-up to this encounter but, thanks to a purposeful second-half display from his players, he was spared the embarrassment of being forced to eat his words yet again.
Benitez, who demanded a strong performance from referee Graham Poll, had claimed that Bolton's muscular approach would be instantly stamped out in his native Spain. This is the Premiership, however, and dealing with the robust aspect of the game is basic for every team with aspirations of rising above the rest to claim silverware. Liverpool are only just beginning to learn that reality.
Although second-half goals from Peter Crouch, Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt secured three points that allowed Liverpool to climb above Bolton into third place, they took an hour to assert their quality and end the visitors' five-game winning run.
Earlier this season, Liverpool would perhaps have failed to battle their way into the driving seat, but it seems that the penny has finally dropped for Benitez and his players.
He said: "We were waiting for a physical game and the first half was difficult, but we scored the goals in the second half and that opened the game up for us.
"Bolton are a good team, but they have their style and it has been working for them. It is clear that it is direct and physical but we had a physical second half at Tottenham at the weekend and the concentration of the players today was fantastic."
In a first half that was seemingly played at half-pace, the only chances of note were down to the long-range shooting of Gerrard, Steve Finnan and Xabi Alonso.
It was only after winger Jermaine Pennant sprang to life shortly after the hour mark that Liverpool made the breakthrough. Anonymous until that point, he helped create two goals in three minutes for Crouch and Gerrard.
Bolton goalkeeper, Jussi Jaaskelainen, who later made three crucial saves, could do nothing to keep out Crouch's scissor-kick and Gerrard's side-foot volley from 12 yards.
Allardyce said: "You have to admire the quality of Liverpool's first two goals because they were two quality finishes by Crouch and Gerrard, but we should have cleared the danger earlier. The goals were so close together, though, that there was no way back.
"I could smell the goals coming today. It was a game too many from our point of view and we had nothing like the energy we needed to keep Liverpool out. I can't deny that Liverpool deserved the victory."
The three points were sealed when Kuyt rounded off an impressive performance by holding off Ricardo Gardner to score the third seven minutes from time.
With third place grasped, Gerrard insists that Liverpool can still aim higher. He said: "It was unfortunate to lose at Blackburn last week because we have been on a good run, but we just have to keep going and hope to close the gap on the top two as much as possible."
• Man of the match: Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool).