THE corrosive air of uncertainty has eaten away at Liverpool’s efforts to progress both on and off the pitch in recent weeks.

But there is becomingly increasingly little doubt the title aspirations of Rafael Benitez’s side will be put on hold for another year.

The Anfield outfit missed the chance to move back into second place and level on points with leaders Manchester United after being held to a damaging, demoralising draw at Wigan Athletic.

It seemed Yossi Benayoun would prove Liverpool’s match-winner for the second successive season at the JJB Stadium with his cleverly-worked opener four minutes before the break.

The visitors, though, were once again undone by their inability to kill off teams.

And, having failed to build on to their hard-earned lead during what Benitez later termed a “crazy” second half, there was an air of inevitability when Lucas Leiva needlessly clipped Jason Koumas inside the area with seven minutes remaining to give Mido the chance to give Wigan an unlikely point.

So much for lessons being learned. This was a seventh time in the last 10 games that Liverpool have been held to a draw in the Premier League, 14 points dropped out of 30.

Never mind catching United. With that kind of form, Liverpool will struggle to finish in the top three and claim automatic qualification for the lucrative knockout stages of the Champions League.

No-one would be foolish enough to write off championship ambitions with 15 games to play and just three points separating the top four teams.

But winning titles is about gathering momentum in the crucial second half of the season, and that momentum is anywhere but Anfield at present.

However, the pros and cons of Benitez’s attack on Sir Alex Ferguson earlier this month will be debated long after this campaign has been consigned to the history books.

Since that fateful Friday, Liverpool have won none of their subsequent four games. In the same period, United can boast six wins out of six.

Not good. And the sometimes vitriolic abuse of Lucas by sections of the Liverpool support is only likely to increase after his unfortunate part in this result.

Anyone who doubts Liverpool have improved in the Premier League this season must be reminded Benitez’s men are eight points better off than at this stage last year. But there are few at Anfield in the mood to celebrate that statistic right now.

After all, this was an understrength Wigan without a clutch of players including former Liverpool duo Chris Kirkland, again injured, and Emile Heskey, recently departed to Aston Villa.

By contrast, Benitez had the luxury of juggling his resources and made three changes from the team held by Everton in the FA Cup at the weekend.

Lucas, Fabio Aurelio and Benayoun were brought in for Xabi Alonso, Andrea Dossena and Dirk Kuyt, who all dropped to the bench.

Robbie Keane returned as substitute after his high-profile absence on Sunday, with the forward partnership of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard again in tandem having netted 75 goals between them in the last 18 months.

And it was that combination that provided Liverpool’s first chance on 13 minutes, Gerrard crossing from the left and Torres glancing a header that struck the inside of Wigan goalkeeper Mike Pollitt’s left-hand post and bounced back into play.

That, though, was about as good as it got for the Spaniard, who cut a hugely frustrated figure before being replaced with 18 minutes remaining.

Despite Liverpool’s bright start, Wigan, no doubt taking note of the previous success enjoyed by Everton and Stoke City, dropped deep and attempted to knock the visitors out of their stride in midfield, Michael Brown in particular making it his mission to leave his foot in at every conceivable opportunity.

Liverpool, however, reasserted their authority. After exchanging passes with Gerrard on one such forward sortie, Lucas dragged a shot wide, and then a fine slide-rule pass placed Babel clear on goal only for Paul Scharner to make a decisive tackle before the Dutchman could get into his stride.

Babel, playing on the left, then cut inside and unleashed a venomous 20-yard effort that bounced off the chest of a grateful Pollitt. But again the 22-year-old flattered to deceive when given his first-team chance.

The same could be said at times of Benayoun. However, the Israeli does possess undoubted natural talent and his nose for goal put Liverpool ahead four minutes before the interval.

Gerrard was dumped to the turf outside the Wigan area but, with referee Phil Dowd playing advantage, the ball found its way to Javier Mascherano who skipped inside another Brown lunge and played in Benayoun to beat the offside trap, take the ball around Pollitt and fire home from a tight angle via the near post.

The half ended with Gerrard thrashing an ambitious 35-yard effort narrowly over, and Liverpool remained in the ascendancy after the break with only some desperate defending preventing Benayoun and then Mascherano doubling the lead during a mad scramble.

Gerrard then came close with a volleyed effort that flew inches wide, but the control Liverpool enjoyed in the first half was gradually being loosened.

That said, Wigan had offered absolutely nothing going forward, Pepe Reina without a save to make. But a one-goal lead is always dangerous, and with seven minutes remaining, Lucas needlessly felled substitute Koumas and debutant Mido sent Reina the wrong way from the spot.

It could have been worse for Liverpool – the exhausted Gerrard by now having joined Torres on the sidelines – with another Wigan new boy, Hugo Rodallega, striking the crossbar in injury time with a 20-yard free-kick.

Next up is Chelsea on Sunday. A month ago the Londoners were the team in crisis, now they are the closest challengers to United’s crown. It’s a game Liverpool and Benitez dare not lose.