The only thing to be mocked at the DW Stadium was the
suggestion that Roberto Martínez's team have commenced their annual spring leap
away from the relegation zone. Wigan were defensively abject, inviting the
trouble that allowed Suarez to overtake Robin van Persie as the Premier
League's leading goalscorer on 21 for the season and unable to deal with the
creativity of Philippe Coutinho. Liverpool cruised to their first win here
since 2007, to the extent that the travelling fans found time to show rousing
support for their former manager Rafael Benítez.
From Pepe Reina in goal to Suarez as the spearhead,
Liverpool excelled in every position. The hosts were the opposite, their only
fight coming from a row between James McArthur and Emmerson Boyce; the pair had
to be pulled apart by the Wigan captain, Gary Caldwell.
"There isn't a better striker in the Premier League
than Luis," said Rodgers, who reiterated his belief that a lack of
Champions League, or even European, football at Anfield next season would not
prompt the Uruguay international to leave.
"The Champions League is important. It would have been
easy for him to walk out last summer but hopefully he can see these next few
years will be important years for the club and for him here."
Liverpool were ahead from their first attack after two
minutes and their victory was never in doubt thereafter. The visitors sliced
through the Wigan defence too easily. Coutinho was the architect as he
collected Reina's long clearance, left Boyce trailing and floated a perfect
cross over Wigan's central defenders; Stewart Downing planted an unmissable
header wide of Ali al-Habsi.
As poor as Wigan were, and they were hopeless in the first
half, Liverpool forced countless mistakes from their opponents through constant
harrying of the home defence.
As soon as Caldwell or Paul Scharner took possession from
Habsi they had Suarez, Coutinho, Downing or Steven Gerrard for company and the
Wigan display was littered with stray passes and loose first touches. Their
central midfield of James McCarthy and McArthur were lost against Liverpool's
three and it was a surprise that Martínez never reacted as his wide men, Shaun
Maloney and Jean Beausejour, were rarely involved.
Coutinho was at the heart of the second goal, this time
taking Gerrard's pass, beating McArthur and threading a perfect ball between
Caldwell and Boyce for Suárez to advance on goal. Liverpool's leading striker
waited for Habsi to commit himself, then found the near corner.
Liverpool made the contest safe with their third when
Suarez, fouled by Caldwell, picked himself up to find the bottom corner of
Habsi's goal from the resulting free-kick, via a deflection off Maloney's
shoulder and the post. "We were too soft in the opening 20 minutes,"
Martínez said. "Our defensive performance made it impossible to win."
Wigan did have chances to disrupt Liverpool's momentum but,
in Reina, faced a goalkeeper in commanding form. He made three stunning saves
before the interval to prevent Boyce hooking a volley into the top corner,
Franco Di Santo scoring with a close-range header and Beausejour converting a
free-kick from 20 yards.
Suarez had to wait only four minutes into the second half
for the inevitable to arrive. Wigan restarted with urgency and were promptly
picked off as Glen Johnson waltzed past three lame challenges and sent the
striker through on goal. Despite Scharner diving at his heels, Suarez held his
aim and nutmegged Habsi for his second hat-trick of the season.
Source http://www.guardian.co.uk
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