People are right to lament the board’s failure to give Benitez the cash he needed in the summer to buy a second proven striker but the young Frenchman has done everything he possibly can to take some of the pressure off.
He was central to Liverpool’s best moments as an attacking force during a first period that could be kindly described as uneventful and, with better fortune, Ngog might have doubled his tally before the break.
Full of running and youthful enthusiasm, Ngog dragged one chance the wrong side of the post after seizing on an Aurelio pass which ricocheted off Hendry Thomas, while he also turned provider for Dirk Kuyt but the Dutchman’s shot was beaten out by Kirkland.
His critics say he is not strong enough to cope with the intensity of 90 minutes yet and Benitez has admitted regular sessions in the gym are pencilled in to build Ngog up, but he started the second period just as strongly as he finished the first.
Evidence of that came when, on 51 minutes, he and Kuyt combined thrillingly on the right, Ngog firing an instant cross back to his strike partner after an adroit flick sent him scurrying away; unfortunately, Kirkland’s parry was as spectacular.
There is no doubt much of the ovation that swept around the stadium when he was replaced by Torres midway through the second period was for Liverpool’s number nine but few could dispute Ngog’s efforts deserved recognition.
As much as Liverpool were pressing for that all important second goal, however, you never once felt the situation was one with which the crowd were comfortable, every stray pass or skewed drive being greeted with exasperated groans.
Never was that more evident than when Jamie Carragher was forced to pass back to Pepe Reina from just inside his own half, as there were no options available to him in midfield and the closer they got to full time, the more uncomfortable it became.
Anfield’s inspirational qualities have been lauded on these pages many times before but, in times of adversity, the expectation with which the club is burdened can almost become suffocating and there is no disputing the crowd was close to turning.
Heaven knows what might have happened had Wigan substitute Jason Scotland found the back of the net rather than hitting the bar when presented with an open goal but, fortunately, we will never know as Torres came up trumps just when he was needed.
Charles N’Zogbia did his best to cause palpitations when squeezing a shot past Reina in injury time but Liverpool were able to cling on to three precious points; they must be used as the first shoots of recovery.
LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Reina; Carragher, Agger, Skrtel, Insua; Benayoun (Aquilani 81), Gerrard, Mascherano, Aurelio (Lucas 61); Kuyt, Ngog (Torres 64)
WIGAN ATHLETIC (4-5-1): Kirkland; Melchiot, Boyce, Bramble, Figueroa; Gomez (Koumas 82), Scharner, Diame (Scotland 58), N’Zogbia; Rodallega.
Goals – Ngog (10), Torres (79), N’Zogbia (90 +2). Referee - Phil Dowd
Booking – Mascherano (76) Att: – 41,116.
