ANGRY Rafael Benitez slammed the character and attitude of his Liverpool players after they slumped to a dismal defeat at Wigan Athletic.

Hugo Rodallega’s 35th-minute strike sent the Anfield outfit crashing to their first ever defeat to the Latics and delivered a huge blow to their hopes of Champions League qualification.

Liverpool never looked like gaining the victory that would have moved them back ahead of Tottenham Hotspur in to fourth place.

And Benitez pointed to an abject first-half performance as he sifted through the wreckage of a ninth league defeat of the campaign.

“The mood in the dressing room was really low,” said the Spaniard. “You have to be really disappointed after a defeat. We’re not happy. In the first half we didn’t do anything, we gave the ball away and didn’t win any first or second balls.

“It was difficult to explain. We prepared the game properly. We knew Wigan would play in a certain way.

“I think it was a fair result. We didn’t play well especially in the first half, we didn’t show the right attitude.

“We have to show more character if we want to be in the top four. We have to win games now and we’re going to have to do it in another way than this.

“You can’t guarantee a win if you don’t show character and attitude.”

There was some suggestion television pictures had captured captain Steven Gerrard flashing a v-sign at referee Andre Marriner after he was booked late in the game but both Benitez and club officials have played it down.

“I don’t know, I was too far away,” was the Liverpool manager’s response.

Liverpool did improve during the second half and created some half-chances without ever testing Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.

And Benitez said: “The players showed the character in the second half, but it wasn’t enough. We were playing too hurried in the second half but at least we showed better character. We worked very hard but without any game intelligence.