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 between the sides, with the first, hosted by Wigan on November 11, ending in a 1-1 draw.

Torres got the Merseysiders speedily ahead on 7 minutes, and exactly seven minutes soon 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 allowing Gerrard too much space, and the captain threaded a pass through to the Spain striker, even as Alcaraz was beaten by the pass and Caldwell was all too simple and easy for Torres to  get past and put the ball behind Al Habsi into the Wigan net.

Liverpool had been brilliant for about 20 minutes at the get started, 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 yet another Wigan player who had a fantastic day at the office. Liverpool came back to life in the last 10 minutes and their efforts helped create chances for Torres and Gerrard, creating it all the even 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  five wins, 4 losses and a draw Wigan have won and lost two each of their last 10, drawing the remaining 6. Of 13 house games, this season, Liverpool have won 8, drawn three and lost 2, when Wigan have won just two of 12 away games, though losing and drawing five every.

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

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

On current form, Wigan will want far more than a slice of luck to get away with any points from Saturday's game.

Liverpool's beginning 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.