Sports - Football - Premier League - Match Report
Wigan 1-0 Liverpool
Liverpool continued their disappointing season with yet another defeat against Wigan; their ninth in the Premier League this season, seven of which have come on the road.
At the DW stadium, the visitors looked clumsy, chaotic, uncoordinated, like headless chickens, and everything else but confident with the ball, losing possession too constantly and too easily.
Even Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, who are normally their team's talismen and saviours, wasted golden opportunities on more than one occasion.
The first half was a lost cause, the second looked more like an act of desperation than recuperation, for the Reds that is.
Wigan in contrast showed great perserverance and determination - it was clear they were not going to give anything away without a fight.
Wigan took the lead deservedly in the 35th minute thanks to Dirk Kuyt's loss of possession just outside the box.
Emmerson Boyce put a superb cross through to Hugo Rodallega who made no mistake of putting the ball into the back of the net, leaving Pepe Reina helplessly stranded.
Further chances came fiew and far between the two sides - man of the match Charles N'Zogbia coming closest when his goal-bound shot was denied and cleared off the line by Sotirios Kyrgiakos.
Liverpool had uncharacteristically five names added into the referee's book, including Torres and Gerrard in the last 10 minutes, reflecting their desperation and frustration which grew more and more in the second half.
The substitutions did not make much of a change or impact for Liverpool, which the Reds desperately needed on this night and are in need of in general, if they want to keep just a glimmer of hope to end the season in the top 4!
Wigan Kirkland; Caldwell, Scharner, Boyce, Bramble; Figueroa, N'Zogbia, McCarthy, Diame (Thomas 81), Moreno (Moses 67); Rodallega (Scotland 85). Bookings Bramble 40. Subs not used Stojkovic, Amaya, Gomez, Sinclair.
Liverpool Reina; Insua, Kyrgiakos, Carragher, Macherano; Benayoun (Aquilani 68), Gerrard, Lucas (Johnson 54), Rodriguez, Kuyt (Babel 81); Torres. Bookings Insua 22, Lucas 29, Kyrgiakos 33, Torres 79, Gerrard 82. Subs not used Cavalieri, Agger, Riera, Ngog.
1st half stats:
Wigan-Liverpool
Attempts: 1-5
On target: 1-0
Offsides: 1-2
Corners: 0-2
Free kicks: 4-5
2nd half stats:
Wigan-Liverpool
Attempts: 5-2
On target: 1-0
Offsides: 0-0
Corners: 3-3
Free kicks: 8-3
Sky Sports stats:
Wigan-Liverpool
Possession: 37%-63% (BBC: 50%-50%)
Passing Success: 73.1%-78.7%
Tackles/Success: 35/82.9%-44/88.6%
Territorial Advantage: 57%-43%
Referee: Andre Marriner
Man of the match: Charles N'Zogbia
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