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  • Bellamy (9), Bellamy (26), Kuyt (41), McCulloch (45 og)
  • Date:2006-12-02
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:The JJB Stadium
  • Attendance:22089
  • Referee:Riley, M

Live Commentary

90mins

FULL TIME: WIGAN ATHLETIC 0-4 LIVERPOOL: Liverpool finish the game in the same way in which it was played, with the Reds on top, Bellamy was unable to grab his hat-rick but his 2 goals along with Kuyt's and McCulloch's own goal was enough for 3 point

90mins

One minute of time to be added as Wigan just want to hear that final whistle

88mins

Although David Wright had the chance to ruin that but he doesn't put his shot away as Reina saves well.

88mins

Liverpool are looking to keep Wigan out now and keep a well deserved clean sheet

85mins

You'll never walk alone echoes around the JJB stadium as the Liverpool fans begin to celebrate what looks like being their first away win of the season

84mins

All credit to Wigan, they are still looking for a goal so that the crowd can go away with at least a consolation

80mins

Camara comes the closest Wigan have come to scoring all afternoon, his shot looks in but ends up hitting the post, the rebound goes wide

79mins

Guthrie comes on for Gerrard as the Liverpool captain gets an early rest

78mins

Wigan get a corner even though it appeared to hit Heskey last, though the corner comes to nothing

74mins

Bellamy is cautioned after verbal abuse aimed towards the officials, this is Bellamy's first booking of the season

73mins

McCulloch is unable to find Camara as his ball is wayward and goes out of play

70mins

Gerrard's shot is blocked by David Wright, but Liverpool are unable to get another shot on as Wigan get a thrown-in their own half

67mins

Liverpool counter attack with Dirk Kuyt, but Wigan are able to get bodies back behind the ball, although the shot from Liverpool goes over the bar

63mins

Just under 23,000 fans are in the JJB stadium this afternoon, and many of them are witnessing a very bleak day of football

60mins

Hyypia is taken off as Paletta comes on in his place

59mins

The very quiet home crowd is a reflection of how this game is currently being played out

56mins

The game is at a very slow tempo, but with Liverpool in no hurry, it doesn't seem that it will change anytime soon

52mins

Garcia is replaced by Pennant as Liverpool look for a fifth

52mins

Wigan think they have pulled one back through Paul Scharner, but the linesmens flag disagrees, and the home crowd seem very dejected, which is understandable considering the situation

49mins

Liverpool are passing the ball around with lots of confidence as they can now dictate the pace of this game

46mins

Kevin Kilbane replaced by David Cotterill and Matt Jackson replaced by David Wright as Wigan look to get anything out of this game

45mins

Wigan start the second half in a very bad state, and will be looking to keep a 2nd half clean sheet whilst Bellamy will be looking for his hat-rick as well as his 50th career goal.

45mins

HALF TIME: WIGAN ATHLETIC 0-4 LIVERPOOL: Liverpool are in complete control after a Bellamy double, a Kuyt finish, and an own goal, leaving Wigan in a very bad position in a first half that they have hardly had a say in.

44mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC 0-4 LIVERPOOL (MCCULLOCH): An own goal by the Wigan player McCulloch after a seemingly harmless Gerrard cross

43mins

However Wigan feel about the third goal, Liverpool have outplayed the home side for large parts of this first half

40mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC 0-3 LIVERPOOL (KUYT): The Dutchman Kuyt puts Liverpool 3-0 up after a Bellamy cross, but questions are asked of the referee as Wigan are convinved that there was a handball

37mins

Wigan haven't given up hope yet despite being second best, and the home side are still creating good chances but are just unable to find that final touch

34mins

Reina comes out well and by the time Heskey is able to turn, the Liverpool goalkeeper is able to block the shot.

32mins

A simple ball goes in behind the Liverpool defence, but from only 6 yards out, McCulloch fails to hit the target

31mins

Bellamy is caught offside despite the fact that a Wigan defender was playing him onside

28mins

Bellamy is now on 49 career goals, and looks odds on to get his 50th before the end of this game

26mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC 0-2 LIVERPOOL (BELLAMY): Bellamy gets his second of the game after a great through ball from Gerrard, Bellamy showed great calm under pressure to put the reds 2-0 up.

23mins

Alonso is booked for a foul on the edge of the Liverpool area as Wigan get a free-kick in a dangerous area

21mins

After a smart pull back to the edge of the box, Henri Camara wastes the chance to finish off a good move

19mins

Both teams are equally matched, though Wigan should be aware that whenever Liverpool open the scoring in a Premiership game, they go on to win

17mins

Heskey and Gerrard collide as they go for the ball and Heskey is booked, if slightly harsh on the Wigan forward

15mins

Wigan have opened up and are playing good football in search for the equaliser

14mins

Emmerson Boyce is booked after kicking the ball away

12mins

Wigan were playing a dangerous game by trying to catch Bellamy and Kuyt offside, and they were made to pay for the error

9mins

WIGAN ATHLETIC 0-1 LIVERPOOL (BELLAMY): This time, Bellamy beats the Wigan offside trap and outruns the defence to put the ball home and send Liverpool into the lead.

7mins

Wigan are outraged as the linesman raises his flag very late to signal that Bellamy is offside

5mins

Both teams have started the game slowly, but Kuyt has looked good in the opening stages for Liverpool

2mins

Liverpool seem to be playing 3 at the back as finnan and John Arne Riise look to make some dangerous runs out wide

0mins

Mike Riley gets the game underway as Liverpool [who haven't scored away from home for 610 minutes] look to change their away day fortunes.

0mins

Following a hamstring problem, Alonso begins the match, the reds start this game with: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Agger, Riise, Luis Garcia, Carragher, Gerrard, Alonso, Kuyt, Bellamy

0mins

Heskey starts upfront against his former club as Wigan start the game with: Kirkland, Boyce, Jackson, Hall, Baines, McCulloch, Skoko, Scharner, Kilbane, Camara, Heskey

Match Preview

Liverpool go in search of their first Premiership victory away from Anfield this season when they make the short journey to Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

Indeed the Reds are aiming to score their first goal from open play in their eighth away game of the campaign, Robbie Fowler's penalty on the opening day at Sheffield United being the only time they have found the opponents' net.

But they will not find it easy against a Latics side that has only lost once at the JJB Stadium this season - and that was against Manchester United.

Paul Jewell's side have recovered from a poor start to the campaign to look capable of clinching a second successive top-half finish. They won only one of their first seven Premiership games before a five-match unbeaten run was ended by last Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Tottenham.

Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey has scored three goals so far, although he was fortunate not be dismissed at White Hart Lane last week, but it is Henri Camara who is the Latics' top scorer with five goals.

Paul Jewell hopes to be able to call on the services of Arjan de Zeeuw after the veteran defender missed the Spurs game with a toe injury, while Mike Pollitt is again expected to be on the substitute's bench. The goalkeeper has been recalled from his loan spell at Ipswich Town to cover for the injured John Filan.

Liverpool's wretched away form is undermining their hopes of clinching a top-four finish although they have already qualified for the last 16 of this season's Champions League.

Boss Rafa Benitez was handed a blow in midweek when it was confirmed that Bolo Zenden will be sidelined until January with a knee injury, and the Reds also look set to be without Stephen Warnock (groin), Mark Gonzalez (hamstring) and Xabi Alonso (knee) for Saturday's clash.

Mo Sissoko and Harry Kewell remain on the long-term injured list.


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Match Report

Liverpool finally got the show on the road picking up their first Premiership away win of the season after devastating Wigan with four first-half goals.

Wales striker Craig Bellamy put his off-field troubles behind him with a superb double as Liverpool's attack suddenly went goal crazy after scoring just once on their travels in the previous seven games.

And by half-time shell-shocked Wigan were left wondering just what had hit them.

Bellamy, who was cleared of assault charges at Cardiff during the week, came in for the injured Peter Crouch and hammered the Reds into the lead after nine minutes.

John Arne Riise's long ball took a deflection off the head of Wigan defender Fitz Hall and Bellamy was too fast for veteran centre-back Matt Jackson before beating former Liverpool keeper Chris Kirkland with a terrific strike from just inside the box.

Incredibly that was only the second goal Liverpool had scored on their travels this season but it clearly lit the fuse as they found the cure for the away day blues.

Bellamy was just wide with a header before Wigan produced their first threat when Australian international Josip Skoko picked out the unmarked Paul Scharner and he provided the cross for Henri Camara, but he failed to come up with a finish to trouble Jose Reina.

Then disaster struck again in the Wigan defence. Xabi Alonso cashed in when Skoko failed to clear the ball inside the area and his ball again struck defender Hall's head.

Alonso instantly seized on it to play Bellamy in and he made no mistake placing the shot beyond Kirkland as the keeper raced out.

Wigan went close to pulling one back when Reina saved from point-blank range after Scharner powered in a header from six yards.

The Latics' luck was out again when Reina blocked a shot from Emile Heskey and Camara was wide with the follow-up.

Liverpool then struck again with a beautifully crafted goal. This time Bellamy turned provider to set up number three for Dirk Kuyt with Steven Gerrard also involved in the build up.

More agony followed for Wigan just before the break when Gerrard's ball into the box struck Lee McCulloch's leg and found it way into the net for the fourth.

Wigan made changes at half-time with David Cotterill coming on for Kevin Kilbane and David Wright replacing Jackson.

They did have the ball in the Liverpool net through Scharner but the Austrian was just offside as he headed home.

Liverpool were inches away from adding to the lead when skipper Gerrard blasted one just over the bar after Wigan were caught on the break with Bellamy's speed off the mark again causing major problems for the defence.

Lady Luck was against the Latics again when Camara had a shot blocked and Heskey hit the post with the follow up.

And with seven games to come in December - including clashes against Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal - it threatens to be a testing month for Paul Jewell's team after two defeats on the trot.

Wigan Athletic

Liverpool

Corners

82

Fouls

914

Goal attempts

159

Shots off target

83

Offsides

59

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