Wigan 1 - 0 Liverpool: Wigan damage Liverpool's top-four hopes

Published on Monday 8 March 2010 23:34

WIGAN striker Hugo Rodallega's eighth Barclays Premier League goal of the season put a huge dent in Liverpool's top-four aspirations last night.

The Colombia international volleyed home Emmerson Boyce's 35th-minute cross after Dirk Kuyt had needlessly given away possession close to his own penalty area.

Liverpool showed little of the quality required for a place in the Champions League once Fernando Torres had hit a post in the eighth minute and the Latics were well worth their victory. It was Wigan's first win over Liverpool in ten attempts and only their second over one of the so-called 'big four' – the other coming at home to Chelsea earlier this season.

That ended a run of seven league matches without a victory and lifted them four points clear of the relegation zone.

And, while it was only sixth-placed Liverpool's second defeat in 11 games, it could have done irreparable damage to their chances of finishing fourth as they have now played more games than all of their rivals. Rafael Benitez's side's problems are clear to see as this was the sixth time in their last eight away league matches they have failed to score.

The closest they came in this game was when Torres hit the outside of the upright after Maxi Rodriguez's header from Steven Gerrard's corner dropped to him at the far post.

Liverpool struggled to find any sort of rhythm and their alarming tendency to give the ball away proved expensive in the 35th minute. Kuyt, deep position on the left, rolled the ball aimlessly to Boyce who instantly fired a cross to the far post, where Rodallega poked home.

While it was the first time Liverpool had conceded in the opening 45 minutes of a league match for 11 games, they almost gifted Wigan a second as Jose Reina came out to claim a through-ball only for Jamie Carragher to knock it past him and then smashed his clearance into Marcelo Moreno. The ball looped towards the goal only for Sotirios Kyrgiakos to get back to head over his own crossbar.

Wigan should have had a second in the 73rd minute when Rodallega's pass put Charles N'Zogbia through but his shot was partially stopped by Reina and Johnson scrambled the ball out of play.

Wigan: Kirkland, Boyce, Caldwell, Bramble, Figueroa, Diame (Thomas 82), McCarthy, N'Zogbia, Scharner, Rodallega (Scotland 86), Moreno (Moses 67). Subs not used: Stojkovic, Amaya, Gomez, Sinclair. Booked: Bramble.

Liverpool: Reina, Mascherano, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Lucas (Johnson 55), Gerrard, Maxi, Kuyt (Babel 82), Benayoun (Aquilani 69), Torres. Subs not used: Cavalieri, Agger, Riera, Ngog. Booked: Insua, Lucas, Kyrgiakos, Torres, Gerrard.