Premier League Preview: Liverpool Vs Wigan

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Premier League match time dawns at Anfield as Liverpool get set to host Wigan on Saturday, February 12, in match week 27.

This is the second of a two-leg contest in between the sides, with the very first, hosted by Wigan on November 11, ending in a 1-1 draw.

Torres got the Merseysiders easily ahead on 7 minutes, and specifically seven minutes right after the interval, Rodallega got the Latics level at 1-1. Torres' opening strike was the result of poor defending by Wigan who committed the cardinal mistake of permitting Gerrard too significantly space, and the captain threaded a pass via to the Spain striker, even as Alcaraz was beaten by the pass and Caldwell was all too uncomplicated for Torres to  get past and put the ball behind Al Habsi into the Wigan net.

Liverpool were brilliant for about 20 minutes at the start, and inexplicably appeared to go into a shell thereafter.

The draw left Liverpool fans fuming and renewing the call for Hodgson's head. Some of the criticism seemed warranted as Liverpool appeared to be in an overly defensive mindset following the interval, when Poulson was brought on for Meireles. Hodgson kept N'gog on the bench and did not even use him as a second half substitute.

Rodallega and N'Zogbia's pace harried the Red's back-line. Tom Cleverley was an additional Wigan player who had a terrific day at the office. Liverpool came back to life in the last 10 minutes and their efforts helped develop chances for Torres and Gerrard, creating it all the more baffling as to why they did not attempt it earlier.

Head to head, Liverpool lead Wigan 7-1 in 11 games played among them, with the remaining three matches ending in stalemates.

In their last league games, Liverpool have registered  5 wins, 4 losses and a draw Wigan have won and lost 2 each of their last 10, drawing the remaining 6. Of 13 property games, this season, Liverpool have won 8, drawn three and lost two, whilst Wigan have won just two of 12 away games, although losing and drawing 5 each and every.

In match week 26, Liverpool beat Chelsea 1- away at Stamford Bridge, though Wigan beat Blackburn 4-three at residence.

Their win against Chelsea has propelled Liverpool to 6th spot and with 13 match weeks to play, they could go nonetheless greater.

On existing form, Wigan will need additional than a slice of luck to get away with any points from Saturday's game.

Liverpool's starting eleven against Chelsea had Reina, Skrtel, Carragher, Agger, Kelly, Lucas, Meireles, Johnson, Gerrard, Maxi and Kuyt. Poulsen and Aurelio featured as substitutes.

Wigan had the following males in their starting eleven against Blackburn: Al Habsi, Boyce, Gohouri, Alcaraz, Figueroa, Diame, N'Zogbia, Watson, McCarthy, Moses and Rodallega. McArthur, Di Santo and Cleverley played as substitutes.