Bolton boss Owen Coyle says Gary Cahill "could play for any top team in world football" after he scored twice in the 3-2 win over Aston Villa.
Cahill twice hauled his side level and Ashley Young missed a penalty before substitute Ivan Klasnic struck four minutes from time to claim the points for the home side.
Coyle said: "With his age, Gary is only going to get better. I believe he could play for any top team in world football. Gary could stand toe to toe with anyone."
Coyle is resigned to losing Cahill at some stage - possibly this summer - but claims he will not stand in the way of his departure at the right price.
"There will be a time when Gary has outgrown this football club and when that time comes it wil take good money but he will go with my blessing," added Coyle.
"I will never stand in the way of anyone progressing. What Gary has to do between now and the end of the season is keep showing these top clubs what an unbelievable talent he is."
Klasnic's late winner was enough to move Coyle's side up to sixth and Coyle hailed his side's spirit as they survived a Villa onslaught to turn the game around.
"We certainly never played as well as we can today but what we have for everyone to see is a sense of togetherness, a real bravery and a courage that we're never out of a game."
Houllier bemoaned his side's missed chances and admitted Young's penalty miss - which would have put his side 3-1 ahead - was a pivotal moment in the game.
"I think the penalty was maybe a turning point," said Houllier. "We created so many chances we were cruising at one point and we could have been 4-1 or 5-1 up.
"I feel frustrated and disappointed but also a bit proud because taking the game to Bolton as we did was something special. We were maybe a bit naive against Cahill.
"In football you are a lucky manager when you have a performance and a result. Today we had the performance but not the result. We created nearly a dozen chances."
Houllier also pointed to the moment Darren Bent was flagged offside when Villa were 2-1 up - with television replays suggesting he should have been allowed to play on.
"It is not my style to argue about the referee's decision but at that time, before the penalty, we could have been 3-1 up. He was not offside and he was on his own."
