Wednesday December 21, 2011 Day 17 Finished DW Stadium

  1. Resilient Wigan hold Liverpool

    Resilient Wigan hold Liverpool

    A superb performance in goal from Ali Al Habsi – including a penalty save – helped Wigan hold Liverpool to a 0-0 draw at the DW Stadium. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Wigan Athletic
    • Liverpool
    • 90+5' And that's it! A hard-earned point for Wigan in a game which was far more enjoyable than the scoreline will suggest. Follow me on Twitter for post-match musings and discussion @liamhappe
    • 90+4' Bellamy's shot from the set piece is blocked by the wall before Shelvey's shot goes straight to Al Habsi.
    • 90+3' Now the visitors have a free-kick 20 yards out, a couple of yards right of centre.
    • 90+2' Shelvey forces Watson to concede a corner.
    • 90+1' Four minutes of added time at the end here. Bellamy fires wide from outside the box.
    • 90' Bellamy is booked for a clumsy challenge on Diame.
    • 89' Wigan launch a long ball forward on the break towards Di Santo, but Reina sprints out of goal to juuuuuust about clear the danger. That was a hairy moment for the Reds.
    • 88' An engrossing midfield dogfight in the middle sees about half a dozen consecutive successful challenges, before Liverpool win the free-kick from a not-so-successful one.
    • 87' It's Andy Carroll on for Suarez in the final switch of the game.
    • 86' The corner is headed on at the near post by di Santo and Moses doesn't seem to know anything about the shot he ends up having, which goes just wide.
    • 85' Moses floats a cross to the far post from the right after an assist from an unwitting di Santo and Rodallega heads towards goal! Deflected for a corner!
    • 84' Enrique and Bellamy team up for some keep ball on the left, but can't breach the Wigan defence.
    • 83' Al Habsi doesn't rush the free-kick. Wigan need wins, but a point against a top six side is far from a bad thing. Especially with a clean sheet.
    • 82' Sustained Liverpool pressure ends with a high foot from Henderson catching Alvarez.
    • 80' Have to say, this is a very good refereeing performance from Michael Oliver. He's relatively inexprerienced but has kept full control and made mostly spot-on calls.
    • 79' Johnson sees yellow for a silly foul on di Santo, who was going nowhere with the ball.
    • 78' Watson gives the ball away to Henderson, who quickly tries to put Suarez through but the forward is already on his run, leading to angry words from his team-mate who wanted him there to receive.
    • 77' Great ball down the right from Diame to Moses. Low cross is cleared by Skrtel.
    • 76' Enrique is held back by Diame. Free-kick just beyond the halfway line.
    • 75' That's all of Wigan's subs used up now. Liverpool have one remaining.
    • 74' Wigan make a double change of their own now, with Ben Watson and Hugo Rodallega on for Jones and Gomez.
    • 72' Both Pool players dropped for this came enter the fray from the bench now, as Jonjo Shelvey and Craig Bellamy replace Maxi and Kuyt.
    • 71' Suarez is drawing the ire of the fans again, protesting that he should have won a free-kick for a check by Alvarez.
    • 70' Liverpool are prepping a couple of subs, by the looks of things.
    • 68' Moses twists and turns before flashing a low centre across the Liverpool goalmouth! No blue shirts there to get a foot on it. Liverpool break and win a corner which is taken short and crossed to Kuyt! More of a cross when he should have been shooting at the far post!
    • 67' Adam fakes a shot from the 25-yard free-kick and instead floats a ball onto the run of Kuyt! His volley on the turn is woeful. Goal kick to Wigan.
    • 66' Caldwell catches Suarez before he can receive Kuyt's short pass and goes into the book.
    • 65' Diame's run down the left ends when he's unable to keep the ball in play.
    • 64' This one's taken short, and Skrtel heads over from Enrique's cross.
    • 63' Maxi wins a corner off Caldwell after a series of direct Pool passes. Downing's in-swinger is headed away safely but from the second ball the visitors win another corner.
    • 62' First substitution of the game comes from the home side: Sammon makes way for Franco di Santo, presumably to change things up on the front line.
    • 61' Stam wins a free-kick off Enrique, but they play the set piece on the right wing short and waste it.
    • 60' Kuyt attempts a dipping volley from 20 yards, but it comes back down to earth too early allowing Al Habsi to catch.
    • 59' Gomez foolishly goes for goal from distance again despite having options, and it's easily closed down.
    • 57' Jones almost plays his way into danger, before taking the emergency exit via a back pass to Al Habsi.
    • 56' Good first touch from Gomez to find a pocket of space 25 yards out and he'll go for goal... Reina catches the effort, which wasn't a terrible one.
    • 55' Kuyt's diagonal ball meets Suarez three yards out at an angle from the far post, but the Uruguayan whiffs his volley attempt to the joy of the home fans, who've been on his back all game long.
    • 54' Gomez almost picks out Sammon on the right wing with a long through pass, but there's a tad too much behind it and Liverpool will take the defensive throw.
    • 53' Suarez almost pounces on a mis-placed pass along the Wigan back line, but the defence recovers.
    • 52' What a game the Wigan goalkeeper is having so far.
    • 51' Adam will take it.... AL HABSI SAVES! He tips away the resulting corner, too!
    • 50' The ball comes back in and Suarez tries an overhead kick! It catches the hand of Caldwell! Penalty is awarded!!
    • 49' Great pass by Adam to Enrique on the left, whose cross is cleared after a Henderson half-shot.
    • 48' Adam's corner is headed off-target by Skrtel, at the other end, Moses fires a tame shot into the grasp of Reina.
    • 47' The 20,000th goal has been scored by Aston Villa's Marc Albrighton. Alcaraz gets a final warning from the ref after conceding a free-kick on the edge of his own area. Suarez will take... and Al Habsi has to tip it over!
    • 46' Liverpool get us back underway.
    • 45+4' And that's that for the first half. Good game thus far!
    • 45+3' Gomez attempts to dribble into the box but is eventually outnumbered and dispossessed.
    • 45+2' Play resumes, McCarthy returns to the fray.
    • 45+1' McCarthy has stayed down after a sliding interception. We are due to have two minutes added on here, but it may be three now.
    • 45' With Ryan Giggs bagging United's third at Fulham, Sammon could have clinched the milestone 20,000th goal had he controlled better there.
    • 44' Gomez dinks a ball over the back line to Sammon, whose chested first touch takes it away from him and Pool recover.
    • 43' Suarez wins a free-kick just behind the left-hand corner of the Wigan area, drawing "cheat" chants from the home stands. It was a foul, though. Adam's delivery is too heavy for Agger and crosses the byline for a goal kick.
    • 42' This corner meets Alcaraz at the near post who flicks it to the opposite upright, but Caldwell is just behind it!
    • 41' Complacent defending from the Reds, though, and McCarthy puts Sammon clean through! Great recovering challenge from Agger! Crucial, and Wigan will take another corner.
    • 40' Jones' corner is headed out for another by Skrtel, and the second in succession is cleared and collected by the away side.
    • 39' Moses through balls it to Gomez on the left, who wins a corner when his cross is blocked by Skrtel.
    • 38' Suarez concedes a needless free-kick just outside Wigan's box as the Reds attack.
    • 36' That pressure ends when Johnson gives the ball away to Moses who dribbles from end to end and has a strong effort pushed away by Reina!
    • 35' Sustained possession from the Reds, but Wigan are doing well to keep them out of the danger zone.
    • 34' Adam delivers Pool's eighth corner of the game, but it's eventually volleyed clear.
    • 33' Gomez whips a cross in from the left flank to nothing.
    • 32' Good spell of attacking pressure from the home side ends with a high boot to a Liverpool defender's head, drawing a free-kick.
    • 30' Oh, and McAuley for West Brom to restore their lead at Newcastle means we're now just two away. Good filler for a pause in play here at the DW.
    • 29' 19.997 - Nani to double Man United's lead at Fulham.
    • 28' Another counter as Liverpool burst forward from the corner, with Adam eventually having the shot from 20 yards low and straight at Al Habsi.
    • 27' Wigan break and Diame forces a parry from Reina with a low shot from the left. Corner Wigan. This game is getting good.
    • 26' Agger volleys the corner over the bar. But the visitors soon have the ball again and Maxi plays provider once more to Glen Johnson, who's clean through in the box! Al Habsi does great to block! Really should have been Prem goal 19,997.
    • 25' But now Liverpool respond in kind. Maxi unleashes Downing on the left whose cutback finds KUYT! Parried by Al Habsi! Corner coming up.
    • 24' Good spell this from the Latics. We have 19,996 as Johnson doubles Man City's lead.
    • 23' Wigan win a free-kick just inside their opponents' half and DIAME! Side netting from 25 yards!
    • 22' Now Figueroa shoots from distance and Reina has to cling onto that one.
    • 21' Moses fires wide of the far post.
    • 20' Demba Ba has equalised for Newcastle against West Brom, while Nicklas Bendtner has put Sunderland ahead at QPR. We are five shy of the milestone.
    • 19' Henderson wins possession in Wigan's final third and squares to the middle for Maxi! Off-target just outside the area on the volley. If that had gone in, it would have made for a quality goal.
    • 18' It's Jones who heads the fierce free-kick delivery over his own bar at the expense of another Liverpool corner. Maxi and Enrique work it short but are closed down.
    • 17' Aguero has put Man City ahead against Stoke, bringing the total to 19,993. A mazy Johnson run down the right wins him a free kick from a foul by Jones.
    • 16' A Wigan corner comes to nothing.
    • 15' Wigan break and Moses goes down in the box, but Oliver shakes his head. Skrtel doesn't look impressed with the forward, who he feels took a clear dive.
    • 14' Another Liverpool corner, taken by Kuyt, is punched clear by Al Habsi.
    • 13' Liverpool win a couple of free-kicks in succession from referee Michael Oliver, who has been quite fond of his whistle thus far.
    • 12' Stam whips in an early ball from the right and finds Sammon! Can't quite connect but here's Gomez! Can't get a shot past a floored defender! Free-kick eventually given Liverpool's way.
    • 11' Good harrying from Sammon leads to the home side's first corner, which is eventually hacked away by the Liverpool defence.
    • 10' The Reds take another two corners in succession and Skrtel of all people has a decent dribble before firing low straight at Al Habsi.
    • 9' Liverpool are denied a couple of times from shooting at goal until Downing cuts back from the left into the path of Henderson! Great save by Al Habsi!
    • 8' Adam hammers it low but straight at the legs of the wall. Not a good effort from a player known for better from dead balls.
    • 7' Figueroa slides in on Maxi inside the 'D' to concede what will be a dangerous free-kick.
    • 6' We're now at 19,992. Odemwingie for West Brom and Welbeck for Man United.
    • 5' Downing wins Liverpool the game's first corner, but the delivery fails to beat the first man. The visitors continue to press until Suarez is dispossessed by Alcaraz before he can move into the area.
    • 4' I will also try to keep you abreast of the 20,000 Premier League goal landmark. We have just landed ten short, with Van Persie scoring early doors for Arsenal at Aston Villa.
    • 3' Liverpool concede a free-kick as Maxi attempts to collect a Suarez pass inside the Wigan box.
    • 2' Little over a minute on the clock and Suarez is already drawing attention. He clutches the back of his head claiming he was caught by Caldwell. Nothing is given, and the home fans react to his protests as you'd expect.
    • 1' The home side kick off the first half.
    • 20:00 The teams are on the pitch and we're moments away from the off. Will Suarez let recent events affect his performance? Can Wigan escape the drop zone for Christmas? I'm on Twitter if you want to discuss the game following the whistle - @liamhappe
    • 19:55 After a run of eight straight defeats, Wigan have now lost just one of their last five Premier League games (W2 D2 L1) – though they have gone 13 league games without a clean sheet.
    • 19:50 Hugo Rodallega, who begins tonight's match on the bench, has scored for Wigan in each of their last two home games against Liverpool.
    • 19:45 Wigan have won just one of the 14 games in all competitions against Liverpool (W1 D4 L9), and have only scored more than once in a game against the Reds on one occasion. In fact, in their 12 league meetings they have netted eight goals altogether.
    • 19:40 Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish (speaking on the Suarez issue): "We don't have to [omit him] unless he is injured and fortunately he hasn't been injured so we don't have to consider what the team would be like. We will just wait and see what happens."
    • 19:35 Wigan manager Roberto Martinez: "We don`t have a choice. In any other season, as a mid-table team, you have that choice. But where we are, we have a very desperate need of points. At the start of the season we were punished for dropping points when we shouldn`t and now every game is an opportunity to get those points back."
    • 19:30 TEAMS - Wigan: Al Habsi, Caldwell, Alcaraz, Figueroa, Stam, Jones, Diame, McCarthy, Moses, Gomez, Sammon. Subs: Pollitt, Crusat, Watson, Di Santo, McArthur, Rodallega, Lopez. /// Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Jose Enrique, Henderson, Adam, Downing, Kuyt, Maxi, Suarez. Subs: Doni, Carroll, Coates, Carragher, Shelvey, Kelly, Bellamy.
    • 19:25 The home side meanwhile go into this one knowing that if they are able to take advantage of the distractions facing the Merseysiders and snatch an upset victory, the three points could well take them out of the relegation zone for Christmas. Premier League table
    • 19:20 Of course the biggest story surrounding this fixture at the moment is yesterday's ruling to ban Luis Suarez for eight games and issue a hefty fine after Patrice Evra lodged a complaint of racist abuse. Early word is that Suarez will start tonight, however, as the ban is suspended pending a possible appeal by the club.
    • 19:15 Good evening and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the pre-festive Premier League fixture between Wigan and Liverpool!

  • Summary

    • 89' Wigan launch a long ball forward on the break towards Di Santo, but Reina sprints out of goal to juuuuuust about clear the danger. That was a hairy moment for the Reds.
    • 86' The corner is headed on at the near post by di Santo and Moses doesn't seem to know anything about the shot he ends up having, which goes just wide.
    • 85' Moses floats a cross to the far post from the right after an assist from an unwitting di Santo and Rodallega heads towards goal! Deflected for a corner!
    • 68' Moses twists and turns before flashing a low centre across the Liverpool goalmouth! No blue shirts there to get a foot on it. Liverpool break and win a corner which is taken short and crossed to Kuyt! More of a cross when he should have been shooting at the far post!
    • 50' The ball comes back in and Suarez tries an overhead kick! It catches the hand of Caldwell! Penalty is awarded!!
    • 47' The 20,000th goal has been scored by Aston Villa's Marc Albrighton. Alcaraz gets a final warning from the ref after conceding a free-kick on the edge of his own area. Suarez will take... and Al Habsi has to tip it over!
    • 42' This corner meets Alcaraz at the near post who flicks it to the opposite upright, but Caldwell is just behind it!
    • 41' Complacent defending from the Reds, though, and McCarthy puts Sammon clean through! Great recovering challenge from Agger! Crucial, and Wigan will take another corner.
    • 36' That pressure ends when Johnson gives the ball away to Moses who dribbles from end to end and has a strong effort pushed away by Reina!
    • 26' Agger volleys the corner over the bar. But the visitors soon have the ball again and Maxi plays provider once more to Glen Johnson, who's clean through in the box! Al Habsi does great to block! Really should have been Prem goal 19,997.
    • 25' But now Liverpool respond in kind. Maxi unleashes Downing on the left whose cutback finds KUYT! Parried by Al Habsi! Corner coming up.
    • 23' Wigan win a free-kick just inside their opponents' half and DIAME! Side netting from 25 yards!
    • 15' Wigan break and Moses goes down in the box, but Oliver shakes his head. Skrtel doesn't look impressed with the forward, who he feels took a clear dive.
    • 12' Stam whips in an early ball from the right and finds Sammon! Can't quite connect but here's Gomez! Can't get a shot past a floored defender! Free-kick eventually given Liverpool's way.
    • 9' Liverpool are denied a couple of times from shooting at goal until Downing cuts back from the left into the path of Henderson! Great save by Al Habsi!
    • 19:30 TEAMS - Wigan: Al Habsi, Caldwell, Alcaraz, Figueroa, Stam, Jones, Diame, McCarthy, Moses, Gomez, Sammon. Subs: Pollitt, Crusat, Watson, Di Santo, McArthur, Rodallega, Lopez. /// Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Jose Enrique, Henderson, Adam, Downing, Kuyt, Maxi, Suarez. Subs: Doni, Carroll, Coates, Carragher, Shelvey, Kelly, Bellamy.

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

    Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account.

    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7.7 9
      Defenders
      5.4 7
      Yellow Card 6.1 6
      5.9 7
      Midfielders
      5.4 6
      5.6 7
      5.5 6
      Substitution Out74′ 5 7
      Strikers
      6.7 8
      Substitution Out74′ 5.7 6
      Substitution Out61′ 6.1 7
      Subs
      Substitution In74′ 6.3 6
      Substitution In74′ 6.1 5
      Substitution In61′ 6 6
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7.4 7
      Defenders
      Yellow Card 7 6
      7.5 7
      7.4 7
      7.3 6
      Midfielders
      6.8 6
      6.6 6
      7.4 7
      Substitution Out72′ 7.5 5
      Strikers
      Substitution Out72′ 7.5 7
      Substitution Out87′ 7.1 6
      Subs
      Substitution In72′ Yellow Card 5.9 6
      Substitution In72′ 6 6
      Substitution In87′ 4 4

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account