Source: PA
Latics halt Reds charge
Liverpool's ambitions of staging a late charge for Champions League qualification suffered an untimely blow as bogey side Wigan ended their four-match winning run in a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
Raul Meireles impressed once again, extending his remarkable goalscoring spree to five in his last six matches, but at the other end Jose Reina's goal was breached for the first time in 463 minutes when Steve Gohouri prodded home from close range.
Luis Suarez was into the action early, having a fourth-minute shout for a penalty turned down and combining well down the right with Dirk Kuyt, who himself had a shot from the edge of the penalty area which had Ali Al Habsi grasping to hang on at the second attempt.
But the Wigan goalkeeper could do nothing about Liverpool's opener in the 24th minute. Fabio Aurelio's cross from the left byline was partially deflected by the head of Gohouri, but only as far as Meireles 16 yards out and he smashed home a right-foot volley.
Three minutes later Suarez almost doubled the lead. He wriggled his way into the left edge of the penalty area before opening his body to shoot right-footed past Al Habsi only to see the ball rebound off the far post.
But Liverpool could not grab a second and in the 65th minute Wigan were level. Charles N'Zogbia curled an inswinging left-footed cross from the right which found its way to Gohouri who stabbed home from two yards.
