Wigan 0, Liverpool 1

Sep 29 2007 By Dave Prentice at the JJB Stadium

SUPER sub Yossi Benayoun got Liverpool’s title bid back on track as he hit the only goal of the game at the JJB Stadium.

The Reds were frustrated for long periods but Benayoun kept his cool to beat Chris Kirkland 15 minutes from time after latching on to Jermaine Pennant’s through ball.

Boss Rafa Benitez opted to start with midweek hat-trick hero Fernando Torres and Dirk Kuyt up front and the visitors threatened inside 70 seconds.

Torres was brought down 25 yards out and Steven Gerrard tested former Liverpool keeper Kirkland with a sweetly struck free-kick.

Jermaine Pennant had a shot deflected behind and midway through the half Kuyt nodded down to Torres in the box but the Spaniard scuffed his shot straight at Kirkland.

On the half hour Jason Koumas’ sloppy pass allowed Kuyt to send Torres through on goal but the Wigan keeper denied him.

Torres was in the thick of the action and just seconds later he sent an acrobatic volley wide from Alvaro Arbeloa’s cross.

The Reds had a scare early in the second half when Marcus Bent fired home from close range but they were saved by the assistant’s offside flag.

Pepe Reina was then forced into keeping out Koumas’ well struck volley from the edge of thee box.

As the game opened up chances came thick and fast at both ends.

Kirkland had to be at his best to thwart Kuyt, while there was a let off for the Reds when Paul Scharner stole in between Reina and Jamie Carragher but couldn’t hit the target.

The deadlock was finally broken on 75 minutes when Pennant’s pass picked out Benayoun and the Israeli, who had replaced Fabio Aurelo 20 minutes earlier, coolly knocked the ball past Kirkland.

Wigan wasted a great chance to equalise in stoppage time when Julius Aghahowa somehow nodded wide from six yards with the net gaping.