Liverpool vs. Wigan Athletic - Match Preview

Liverpool take on Wigan on Saturday aiming to make it five wins out of five and continue their unlikely assault on fourth place. Only two months ago, the Reds were considered potential relegation candidates following a dreadful six months under Roy Hodgson, and now the Anfield club sit in sixth place, six points off fourth place. With Spurs away at Sunderland and Chelsea not playing until Monday, the Wigan game provides an excellent opportunity for Liverpool to make ground on fourth place.

Steven Gerrard will be hoping he can shake off the knock that kept him out of England’s victory over Denmark in midweek, and the only other injury news for the Reds is record signing Andy Carroll, who is still a few weeks away, and youngster Jonjo Shelvey missing the next three months with a knee injury. It’s disappointing for the midfielder who had experienced increasing playing time under Dalglish. It may prove an opportunity for Christian Poulsen who played well against England midweek, or Spanish starlet Dani Pacheco who had seen himself frozen out under Hodgson. Pacheco, the Golden Ball winner for Spain at the under-19 European Championship in July, has only played seven minutes of league football this season, way back in August at the City of Manchester Stadium in a 3-0 defeat for the Reds. Wigan have no real injury problems and will be hoping that in-form Charles N’Zogbia and James McCarthy, both Liverpool targets in January, can show the Reds what they missed out on.

Liverpool will be hoping that Luis Suarez is fit enough to make his first start in a Red shirt and add to the goal he scored against Stoke, although whether manager Kenny Dalglish will see fit to break up the side that started the Chelsea match is another question. The much maligned Lucas Leiva is set to make his 100^th Premier League appearance for Liverpool should he start as expected tomorrow. It has been a remarkable turnaround for the Brazilian. Often used as a stick with which to beat former manager Rafael Benítez, Lucas has arguably been Liverpool’s best player over the last eighteen months and is continuing to improve under Dalglish.

Wigan do not have the best record at Anfield, losing four of their five league matches there since gaining promotion to the Premier League in 2005. Wigan have struggled away from home in the Premier League this season, scoring the second fewest goals in their away fixtures. Anfield has been the second most difficult place to visit after Old Trafford, with Liverpool having the second best defensive record and second best points total at home.

Liverpool’s one point at the DW Stadium earlier this season was just one of five points picked up away from home under Roy Hodgson. Under Kenny Dalglish, the Reds have turned their season around; scoring seven and conceding none in their last four matches, taking a maximum of twelve points. With Liverpool not due to play a league fixture for another two weeks after tomorrow’s game, Dalglish will be hoping his side can make it five wins out of five before concentrating on two Europa League knockout fixtures against Sparta Prague.