Liverpool 1, Wigan 1 - post-match analysis

Jan 3 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

THE last time Steve Bruce brought a side to Anfield, Fernando Torres was infamously left kicking his heels on the bench for the most part as Liverpool laboured to a goalless draw.

But even with the club record signing on from the start and continuing his goalscoring form, Rafael Benitez could not lay his Bruce bogey to rest last night.

The former Manchester United defender denied the Spaniard five times in Premier League combat while in charge of Birmingham City, and has clearly taken the hoodoo with him to the JJB Stadium.

Bruce was still in charge of Birmingham for the Midlanders’ visit to Anfield in September, when Torres was contentiously restricted to a half-hour cameo in the second half of a frustrating stalemate.

The Spaniard, though, has subsequently become a must-pick and opened the scoring last night with a well-worked strike on 49 minutes.

It moved the striker on to 16 goals for the season – 11 of which have come in his 12 appearances at Anfield – and further underlined his importance to Benitez.

But Torres alone cannot atone for an unconvincing team performance, as Liverpool pressed the self-destruct button to leave the home crowd jeering at the final whistle and Benitez’s side a massive 12 points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

Titus Bramble is something of a comic figure among seasoned football observers. But nobody in red was laughing when the Wigan centre-back capitalised on a poor clearance by – of all people – Steven Gerrard 10 minutes from time to thump the equaliser.

What fading hopes Liverpool had of challenging for the championship have surely been extinguished by this damaging draw, which followed a similarly disappointing outcome at Manchester City on Sunday.

And given the funereal manner in which the home supporters slunk out of the ground long before the end, Liverpool fans appear to have accepted the fact.

Benitez’s side were rightly aggrieved not to have won at the Eastlands given their dominance but, again stymied by their profligacy, last night’s was a much inferior display.

Whereas past title challenges have floundered on their travels, Anfield is proving the problem this season, a fifth home draw meaning Liverpool have taken just 17 points from 30 available on their own turf; by comparison, both Arsenal and Manchester United have 31 from 33.

Having provided Reading with a debut win against the ‘big four’ last month, Liverpool last night allowed Wigan to take their first point against one of England’s leading sides.

But with City winning at Newcastle United last night, Liverpool find themselves outside the top four this morning. Indeed, Champions League qualification is fast becoming the limit of their league ambitions this campaign.

History had pointed to a home success. Liverpool had won all seven previous games against Wigan, with the Latics having not even scored in this fixture since 1989.

There was a strong Merseyside presence in the Wigan line-up. Former Liverpool players Emile Heskey and Chris Kirkland – the latter on his first return to Anfield since leaving the club – were joined by ex-Everton men Kevin Kilbane and Marcus Bent, while one-time Tranmere Rovers midfielder Jason Koumas on the bench.

Benitez made two changes from the goalless draw at Eastlands. Xabi Alonso stepped into midfield for his first home start since limping off against Arsenal in October, but the real surprise was the return of Jermaine Pennant after 10 weeks out with a stress fracture of the shin.

The availability of the pair – who both started brightly only to understandably fade in the second half – allowed Benitez to employ a three-striker formation that has previously met with mixed fortunes, working to perfection at Newcastle United but a dismal failure at Reading last month.