Rodallega halts Kop revival

Liverpool's four-match winning run was halted by a lively Wigan at the DW Stadium as Roy Hodgson's side faded badly after taking an early lead.

Despite going ahead through Fernando Torres' third goal in four days, the visitors lost their grip on the game midway through the first half and never regained it.

Wigan equalised through Hugo Rodallega in the 52nd minute and finished the better team as the Merseysiders appeared to feel the exertions of beating Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea on Sunday.

Hodgson kept faith with the team that beat Chelsea as they went in search of a fourth successive Barclays Premier League victory at Wigan.

Defender Glen Johnson was not deemed fit enough to return after a groin injury, so Martin Kelly kept his place.

Wigan's on-loan Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley was handed only his second start by manager Roberto Martinez, in charge of his 50th league match for the Latics.

The 20-year-old Cleverley came in for the suspended Steven Gohouri, with Ronnie Stam dropping from midfield to right-back.

Liverpool came into the game full of confidence and it did not take long for that to manifest itself with Lucas Leiva's 25-yard shot from Maxi Rodriguez's pass being tipped over by Ali Al Habsi.

The Wigan goalkeeper got nowhere near the next effort from the boot of the in-form Torres in the seventh minute.

Gerrard was given far too much time to carry the ball through midfield and he weighted a perfect 30-yard pass which the Spain international, fresh from two goals against Chelsea, raced on to and fired across Al Habsi into the far corner.

It was the 26-year-old's first away goal since March 21 and, considering his prolific record, only the 17th in 41 matches outside Anfield.

If that goal was relatively straightforward Liverpool's next chance was far more complex.

Gerrard found Torres wide on the right, he squared the ball back the captain who chipped over the defence for Dirk Kuyt to head back to him but after all that good work the England midfielder could only volley over.

Torres was looking as dangerous as he had against Chelsea and Antolin Alcaraz was to escape when he stumbled under pressure to put the Spaniard clean through only for referee Peter Walton to pull play back for a non-existent foul.

It took Wigan until the mid-point of the first half to recover from their early setback but N'Zogbia began to have an impact down both flanks.

The Frenchman thought he had scored the equaliser in the 33rd minute when he seized on Lucas' weak pass to run into the penalty area, offload to Rodallega and continue to tap in the return but the his team-mate had already been flagged for offside.

As the half wore on it, was Wigan exerting the pressure, so much so that eight minutes before the interval Torres was seen tackling back just 10 yards outside his own area.

A Stam pass intended for Rodallega at the near post rolled agonisingly wide of the far upright as Liverpool began to drop deeper towards the end of the half.

Raul Meireles was replaced by Jonjo Shelvey for the start of the second half and the teenager's first contribution was to give the ball away to Rodallega, but his forward pass to N'Zogbia was too strong.

The Colombian was not so wasteful moments later when Jose Reina could only palm Stam's low cross into his path and he gratefully fired home left-footed.

Wigan sensed their chance as Liverpool's play became increasingly ragged and Martinez sent on young forward Victor Moses for Jordi Gomez.

Kuyt's strike from Shelvey's deflected shot was half-saved by Al Habsi before it crossed the line but the Holland international had come back from an offside position and it was ruled out.

It was a brief rally as Stam again found room down the right to cross and Kelly had to hack away at the far post under pressure from Cleverley.

Gerrard's shot 10 minutes from time crashed down off the crossbar but not over the line with Al Habsi beaten as the game became end-to-end.

But it was Liverpool who were grateful for the final whistle as Mohamed Diame and N'Zogbia both forced low saves out of Reina.

The result may only be a blip in Liverpool's recovery but Hodgson cannot allow his side to lose any momentum having built up so much confidence over the last three weeks.

Wigan may ultimately have been disappointed with a point, having won the corresponding fixture last season and finished so strongly, but it at least avoided a third successive league defeat.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.