Latics shock lacklustre Reds

Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega's eighth Barclays Premier League goal of the season put a huge dent in Liverpool's top-four aspirations after their 1-0 defeat at the DW Stadium.

The Colombia international volleyed home Emmerson Boyce's 35th-minute cross after Dirk Kuyt had needlessly given away possession close to his own penalty area.

Liverpool showed little of the quality required for a place in the Champions League once Fernando Torres had hit a post in the eighth minute and the Latics were well worth their victory.

It was Wigan's first Premier League win over Liverpool and only their second over one of the so-called 'big four' - the other coming at home to Chelsea earlier this season.

Steven Gerrard could have opened the scoring in the 26th minute after good link play between Maxi Rodriguez, Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun but the England international's first shot was blocked by Paul Scharner and although he quickly recovered he could not hit the target with the follow-up.

Liverpool were struggling to find any sort of rhythm and their alarming tendency to give the ball away proved expensive in the 35th minute. Kuyt, deep position on the left, rolled the ball aimlessly to Boyce who instantly fired a cross to the far post where Rodallega poked home.

Within 42 seconds of the second half kicking-off Javier Mascherano had to be quick to block Rodallega's shot.

At the other end Torres, unusually for him, failed to hit the target from Rodriguez's cut-back.

Liverpool almost gifted Wigan a second as Jose Reina came out to claim a through-ball only for Jamie Carragher to knock it past him and then smashed his clearance into Marcelo Moreno. The ball looped towards the goal only for Sotirios Kyrgiakos to get back to head over his own crossbar.

Wigan should have had a second in the 73rd minute when Rodallega's pass put Charles N'Zogbia through but his shot was partially stopped by Reina and Glen Johnson scrambled the ball out at the far post under pressure from Scharner.