Liverpool 1 - 2 Wigan Athletic 24-03-2012

Creating history will seldom come with been this comfortable. Wigan documented their first-ever win at Anfield without having that would conjure anything ingenious: their diligence as well as determination, added in order to the particular deficiencies of their hosts, were enough. Actually the particular checking out manager, Roberto Martinez, admitted his team had played greater inside every of their endure 6 matches without winning, though which clearly did not deflate his delight at a result that will buoy their survival bid.

Having lost 4 of their five past league matches, most notably Wednesday's alarming capitulation against another team within the relegation zone, Queens Park Rangers, Liverpool required a great authoritative victory to subdue minor rumblings of Anfield heresy: suggestions which Kenny Dalglish typically is not the particular managerial messiah the entire club crave despite the conquest of the Carling Cup. A settled formation is actually not anything Dalglish appears to believe inside as well as for this particular outing he decided that a 4-1-4-1 could be the greatest means of guaranteeing Luis Suárez, that paradoxically risky but yet goal-shy striker, got ample help upwards front.

The actual ploy worked almost too effectively in the fifth minute when Suárez and in addition Jordan Henderson got with regard to each other's way soon after Jay Spearing had served the actual initial defence-splitting pass associated with the match. And even that set the particular tone for the dwelling team's show, because their disjointedness drew continual groans within the crowd.
By the 15th minute, the actual discontent was actually obvious on the pitch too, because Suárez berated Downing for darting you way because the actual Uruguayan put an intended pass the some other. Frequently tried one-twos became one-nones. Their initially potential of the match came from a Steven Gerrard free-kick to be able to the in return post, that would that Martin Skrtel couldn't apply a telling connection. It took 25 minutes for Liverpool players in order to be sufficiently within tune with one another in order to truly threaten Wigan, Suárez and additionally Downing finally exchanging cutting passes prior to the entire latter damaged a fierce low drive narrowly wide from a hard angle sixteen yards out.

Moments later, however, more Liverpool uncertainty led that would the particular concession of the penalty. Jamie Carragher's attempt in order to obvious a clipped Gary Caldwell cross resulted just in a weak back-header - Skrtel as well as Victor Moses challenged for it plus the forward got indeed there at first, just that would be inadvertently kicked within the head by the entire defender. Shaun Maloney fired the entire spot-kick previous Pepe Reina.

Moses, meanwhile, had been taken in order to hospital to be evaluated. "He had been concussed for a while and also when he came about he was not actually himself," said Martinez. "Some of us are generally worried it may very well be a fracture."

The entire mood among the actual Anfield faithful, meanwhile, threatened in order to turn from anxious in order to rebellious. During the course of the entire 10 minutes that it took Wigan to determine to be able to substitute Moses, the entire visitors played with a numerical disadvantage which Liverpool couldn't exploit, lengthy shots from Suárez and in addition Gerrard being the greatest they could muster. Ali Al-Habsi dealt alongside simultaneously.

Dalglish introduced Andy Carroll for the entire second half as the particular hosts flipped to 4-4-2. Within two minutes Liverpool had been amount because of their almost all vaunted duo. Suárez flipped a pass wide to Gerrard before acquiring it back not to mention doing what he has constantly failed to be able to do this particular season - finish smartly, his low shot from 10 yards acquiring the entire corner associated with the web.

Liverpool thought Suárez had doubled his tally within the 54th minute but yet the entire referee ruled which he had turned the ball into the web from close range with his arm. Dalglish insisted it had brushed the striker's shoulder plus the objective will need to have stood.

Subsequently Liverpool lapsed in return into lethargy. Wigan, whom happened to be compact and in addition tenacious but seldom dangerous, regained the entire lead within the 63rd minute. James McCarthy's speculative shot within the edge of the community right after some other bad Liverpool clearance deflected off Carragher into the entire path of Caldwell, who showed unexpected deftness that would sidestep Carroll, who had kept him onside, not to mention slot the particular ball less than Reina and into the actual web. "I think Gary surprised the whole Anfield crowd alongside his composure plus he as well surprised our very own entire bench," quipped Martinez. "However, it is very fitting that it was actually him as he typically is a leader, an uncommon breed. He happens to be via complex times alongside you plus all the time stood up thus I am happy for him that his name typically is inscribed in our very own history with which goal."
Including stoppage time, Liverpool had half a hr to obtain a particular equaliser. The two never looked such as getting one. Suárez did bring a save from Al-Habsi within the 89th minute soon after collecting a flick-on from Carroll however, which was a mere shower - there was no storm for Wigan to weather.