“We have to keep going. We have an important game on Thursday. We have to try. We had some chances today but we didn’t play well. If you approach the game in that way then maybe you won’t win any games.

“You have good games and bad games, but especially at this time in a crucial moment, we can do better.”

Glen Johnson came on as a second-half substitute for his first appearance since damaging knee ligaments at Aston Villa in December.

And Benitez said: “The main thing is we have the players available now. We have to win. We can’t have all the players back and be worse than before.

“Maybe Fernando needs more games but the team needs to give him better balls. Wigan had more desire, especially in the first half. It is difficult to name just one or two reasons why we lost.”

Liverpool are facing a fine from the Football Association after receiving five bookings for the second time in their last three Premier League games.

Meanwhile, Wigan manager Roberto Martinez was understandably delighted with the win that lifts his team to 14th place, four points clear of the relegation zone.

“It was a huge win,” said Martinez. “It has been coming. Too many times in football you judge performances on the result, and we’ve felt we’ve been close to getting a win in recent weeks.

“I was extremely proud of the responsibility of the players. Many people thought the new pitch would work in Liverpool’s favour, but we restricted them to not many chances.

“If the players show the character they showed tonight, they can beat anyone.”