Seven weeks is a long time for any team to have gone without recording a victory at home, let alone one with genuine title hopes, but Javier Mascherano is confident that Liverpool will finally return to winning ways against Bolton Wanderers at Anfield in the Barclays Premier League today.

Liverpool's delight at leading the league table at Christmas has been tempered by the the club's past three home matches ending in disappointing draws against opposition they would have expected to beat. Fulham, West Ham United and Hull City have frustrated Liverpool in recent weeks, to the dismay of supporters who have made their feelings known during a series of below-par performances.

West Bromwich Albion, on November 8, were the last team Liverpool beat at Anfield in the league, but Mascherano is hoping that Bolton could suffer a backlash this afternoon as the leaders look to keep up the pace at the top of the table. Liverpool could be boosted by the return of Fernando Torres.

The Spain striker, who has missed the club's past five matches in all competitions because of a hamstring injury, may be included as a substitute.

“I think we have to win at home because we need to get the confidence of the team back,” Mascherano, the Argentina midfield player, said. “We played at Bolton last month and played well [in a 2-0 win]. We have had many good performances away from home - Chelsea, Bolton, Blackburn were not bad - but we need to try and reproduce that at Anfield.”

Liverpool have been frustrated by the tendency of teams to sit deep and defend - Fulham and West Ham did so with considerable success - but Mascherano believes that his club have no right to complain about such an approach and must find a way of overcoming obdurate, unadventurous opposition.

“We can't use how teams play at Anfield as an excuse,” he said. “We know that a lot of sides come to defend but we need to find spaces and a way that we can beat them. It is not their fault that they play like that so I don't like to talk about excuses. If a team defends a little but more when they play against us then we need to find a way around that.”

Mascherano's recent form has also been inconsistent, with his passing letting him down on occasions, but he believes that Diego Maradona's decision to make him the captain of Argentina will benefit his game.

“It was amazing for me to be made captain of Argentina by Maradona,” the 24-year-old said. “Playing for your country is always the best thing you can do. It is something that I never imagined would happen to me. I will try to do my best as captain. Maradona is fantastic. He's always been fantastic with me, pushing me on. From the start of my career until now, he has always supported me and that is a big boost.”

Jermaine Pennant, the Liverpool winger, is believed to be the subject of a surprise £3.5million bid from Real Madrid. Pennant has fallen out of favour with Rafael Benítez, the manager, and is deemed surplus to requirements at Anfield. Loan moves to Wigan Athletic or Stoke City have also been mooted.