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Liverpool logo
Premier League
Nov 17, 2012 at 3pm UK
 
Wigan logo

3-0

Enrique (65'), Suárez (47', 58')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Live Commentary: Liverpool 3-0 Wigan - as it happened

Sports Mole brings you live coverage of the Premier League, as Liverpool host Wigan Athletic at Anfield.
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Liverpool had not beaten Wigan Athletic in their previous five attempts, but welcomed them to Anfield on the back of an upturn in form.

Luis Suarez scored two goals to take his tally to five in four games, while Jose Enrique also pitched in to help the Reds record a 3-0 victory.

You can read how all the action unfolded below.


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Good afternoon! Ready for some Saturday afternoon football? So are we. Today we'll be following Liverpool as they host Wigan Athletic at Anfield.

... but that's not the only live action we have today. No, no. It's currently 4-2 to Arsenal in the north London derby and Liam Apicella has all the action from the Emirates. You can follow it by clicking here.

And then there's Manchester City vs. Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium. On that one is Jack Prescott, and you can find him here.

Our final 3pm kickoff today is West Bromwich Albion vs. Chelsea. Joe Fish is on hand to describe all the action.

Right, now that that's out of the way let's give you some team news...

Reina; Wisdom, Johnson, Agger, Skrtel; Allen, Gerrard, Enrique; Suso, Sterling, Suarez

Subs: Jones, Sahin, Cole, Henderson, Coates, Carragher, Shelvey

Al Habsi; Ramis, Caldwell, Figueroa, Boyce; Beausejour, Watson, McCarthy, Maloney; Di Santo, Kone

Subs: Pollitt, Jones, Gomez, McManaman, Boselli, Stam, Miyaichi

So Pepe Reina returns between the sticks for Liverpool. The Spaniard has been out for five weeks with a hamstring injury and deposes Brad Jones, who returns to the bench.

Suso is also included in today's lineup. Arouna Kone starts up front for Wigan, alongside Franco di Santo. James McArthur is still missing.

It has finished 5-2 to Arsenal at the Emirates. You can read Sports Mole's match reports by clicking here.

It's around 10 minutes until kickoff now. Wigan come here in confident mood, despite last weekend's defeat. They carry a lot of threat going forward, it's defensively where their demons lie. Although they defended admirably to keep a clean sheet in their 1-0 win over Spurs two weeks ago.

The pre-match rituals are over and done with and we're ready for action. Liverpool will get this game underway.

Johnson wins a corner for Liverpool.

It's a short one to Suarez, but it comes to nothing.

Enrique has the first effort on goal but it trickles harmlessly wide of Al Habsi's goal.

CLOSE! Suarez gets in down the left and puts the ball cross the goal line and Watson nearly turns it past Al Habsi.

Agger climbs highest to meet Gerrard's corner but his header is wide of the target.

OOOH! Watson has a dig from just over 20 yards out. He hits it with venom but it was always rising. Clean strike though!

To give them their dues, Wigan play some really pleasing stuff sometimes. Watson's shot came after a build-up of around 20 passes. They keep the ball on the ground well and try to play football.

SHOT! Wigan break forward after defending a corner. Maloney finds Kone on the flank and he drifts inside before unleashing one from all of 35 yards. Reine gets behind it well but that was another well-hit strike.

Corner for Liverpool.

The ball falls to Johnson on the edge of the box but his effort is deflected over for another corner.

SHOT! Gerrard knocks the ball into Suarez, who tees up Suso. The Spaniard shoots with his left but it's straight at Al Habsi.

Ben Watson is down on the ground receiving treatment on his knee. He looked to land awkwardly after contesting a header.

The midfielder looks like he's in a lot of disomcomfort as he clutches his knee. The stretcher is on.

Watson hobbles off with the halp of the medical staff and it looks his race is run.

Anyway, free kick to Wigan from around 25 yards out. Ramis stands over it...

It hits the wall and balloons into the air for Reina to safely catch.

Great run by Johnson down the left! He whipped the ball in for suso but the Spaniard can't get his header on target.

David Jones replaces the injured Ben Watson

Di Santo wins another free kick from 30 yards out, but the Argentine is down clutching his ankle. Not more problems for the Latics?

Maloney, Figueroa and Ramis plot the free kick. Figueroa hits it high and wide. Terrible. Simply terrible.

Suarez drives forward and is dragged down for a free kick. He takes it, but it's not one of his best efforts.

Suso comes off to be replaced by Jordan Henderson

Suso didn't look injured. Strange...

The game is getting a bit heated now. Maynor Figeroa goes into the book for a late challenge on Raheem Sterling. Kevin Friend is keeping a lid on things, though.

Suarez receives the ball wide on the left and tries to drift inside. The ball breaks to Gerrard, who winds up from all of 30 yards... but not this time. It was a wayward effort.

First game back, and Reina shows his silky footballing technique to do a Cryuff turn on Di Santo before clearing the ball. He's not lost his confidence.

There's going to be four minutes of time added on at the end of the first half, but it looks as though there could be a little more now that Allen is down on the ground. He took a boot to the face and his nose is now pouring with blood.

Ramis heads Enrique's cross behind for a corner.

Agger winds up to a chorus of "SHOOT!" but his 25-yard effort is blocked by Caldwell.

Liverpool 0-0 Wigan

No clear-cut chances in the first half at Anfield. Liverpool have looked more likely to open the scoring but it remains goalless.

Elsewhere in the Premier League:

Man City 1-0 Aston Villa

Newcastle 0-0 Swansea

QPR 0-2 Southampton

Reading 0-1 Everton

West Brom 1-1 Chelsea

Apologies - it's actually 2-0 to Southampton at Loftus Road. A quick manual refresh will see that score corrected.

You can read the half-time report for this match by clicking here.

The two teams are back on the field and Wigan kickoff the second half.

GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Wigan (Suarez): It was Beausejour's slack pass back to Figeroa that allowed Sterling to nick the ball through for himself and get to the byline. It looked as though he had waited too long to cut the ball back for Suarez, but the Uruguayan made no mistake from around 12 yards out. Martinez may have a few choice words for Beausejour after the game...

That's Suarez's fourth goal in four games. Everton, Newcastle, Chelsea and today. Is he shedding the tag of wasteful finisher now?

GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Wigan (Suarez): Enrique made that goal for Suarez! He darted into the Wigan half and held off two challenges before sliding the ball through for the Uruguayan, who nudged the ball past Al Habsi.

Suarez is looking for his hat-trick! He weaved his way through a mass of Wigan shirts before being tackled in the box. Corner for Liverpool...

GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Wigan (Enrique): Wigan can complain, but it's game over at Anfield! Sterling and Suarez play a great one two, but Al Habsi saves the England winger's shot. the ball falls to Enrique who has a simple tap in.

He has deserved a goal, the Spaniard. Wigan felt that Ramis's cross-field pass had come off Luis Suarez before going out of play. He was right, but it was still a terrific move by Liverpool. Sterling and Suarez, the usual muses...

Caldwell and Di Santo were both booked for their protestations following the goal. Needless, really. It's a game in which they are three down. Frustrated, maybe. But just get on with it, maybe?

Gary Caldwell and Franco di Santo will now come off for Jordi Gomez and Ryo Miyaichi

It looks as though Martinez doesn't want to risk a sending-off for Caldwell or Di Santo, which would mean a one-game ban and possibly a few more goals here at Anfield.

CHANCE! Beausejour finds Gomez inside the area with a cross, but the Spaniard skies his effort from around 12 yards out. Poor.

Corner to Wigan.

The ball found its way to Beausejour outside the area, and he fired it back in. Kone was at the back post and turned the ball onto the upright, but the linesman flagged for offside. Still, it's as close as Wigan have come...

The teams were fairly even in the first half, with Brendan Rodgers's men shading it. The second half has been all Liverpool. It's been a good performance from them today.

SHOT! Johnson drives forward and shoots at Al-Habsi's near post, but it goes just wide.

Suarez runs through but the angle is too acute and he fires across Al-Habsi's goal.

Jamie Carragher comes on to replace Daniel Agger

McCarthy's long-range effort is barely worth detailing. It was a wild attempt.

Gomez now has a crack but it never really troubled Reina as it drifted wide of the post.

Luis Suarez makes way for Jonjo Shelvey

We're going to have four minutes of injury time at Anfield.

Liverpool 3-0 Wigan

A routine win in the end for Liverpool after a keenly contested first half. Much deserved.

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