Wigan 1, Liverpool FC 0: Another inept display just raises more questions

That it was Wigan's first-ever victory over Liverpool at the 12th attempt said everything about a truly shockingly inept display that raises serious questions about the rest of the campaign and beyond.

Liverpool clearly don't like Mondays, having not won on the first day of the working week since 2001 - a sequence of nine games.

And they never convinced that statistic would be altered here, Roberto Martinez increasing the pressure on his Spanish compatriot by masterminding a famous triumph.

Liverpool couldn't even use the playing surface as an excuse, Wigan having laid down a completely fresh pitch in response to complaints over the previous turf.

No. This defeat was purely down to talent, teamwork and desire. And over the full 90 minutes - and in particular a pathetic first half - Liverpool didn't show anywhere near enough.

Benitez will come in for some heavy criticism with the result again sparking debate over whether his time at Anfield is coming to an ignominious close.

But the Liverpool manager was right to afterwards berate the character and attitude of his players, particularly given an opening 45 minutes that made the stunned visiting supporters question whether the team were even aware of the team's current predicament.

Sure, for the second time in three Premier League games Liverpool accrued five bookings, suggesting determination and bodies being put on the line.

Yet the yellow cards shown to Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres were out of frustration at the general malaise, the stellar duo as guilty as anyone for this dismal surrender.

On this evidence, Liverpool can forget fourth place. Indeed, they will struggle to earn a berth in the Europa League if there are any more repeats of an evening that should not be forgotten.

Where is the guile? Where is the imagination? Where is the creativity? And with last night's return of Glen Johnson, injuries can no longer be used as a possible excuse.

The statistics make for grim reading.

Before the game, Wigan were in freefall having won just one of their previous 13 top-flight games, scoring just twice in their last seven outings.

With the Latics having kept just five clean sheets in 27 league fixtures this season, the opportunity was there for Benitez's side to improve on a poor scoring record that had seen them fail to net in five of their last seven away league games.

Liverpool have given themselves so little margin for error in the race for Champions League qualification that every game is built up into a must-win, the tension restricting the players to produce and resulting in far too many dour, desperate, incident-free encounters.

And with Wigan teetering just above the relegation zone, it's small wonder there were so many empty seats at a chilly, miserable DW Stadium. Even the half-time pies weren't up to much.

The decisive moment had come 10 minutes before then, with Wigan scoring their first goal in more than six hours.

They still required a helping hand from Liverpool in creating the opening, Dirk Kuyt catching his own defence off-guard by playing a pass straight to the feet of Emmerson Boyce on the right flank, who instantly crossed into the centre where Rodallega, having ghosted in front of Javier Mascherano, prodded in past Pepe Reina.

The manner of the goal was perhaps no surprise, given the number of times Liverpool coughed up possession during the first half.

Up until that point, the most intriguing aspect of a chronic match was that Wigan's former Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland had somehow managed to avoid injury.

To be fair, the visitors did have a few openings.

After a deceiving bright start, a Gerrard corner was cleared by Marcelo Moreno to Maxi Rodriguez, and the Argentine headed back to the far post where Torres struck the outside of the woodwork from six yards.

And on 27 minutes, a rare incisive move saw Yossi Benayoun fed by Kuyt, dance around Maynor Figueroa but elect to cut the ball back instead of shooting, Gerrard rushed into an eventually harmless effort.

But too often their movement was non-existent, epitomised by one moment when Gerrard, accepting possession near the halfway line, looked up and flailed his arms in frustration at finding precisely no Liverpool players making any runs whatsoever.

Matters did improve marginally after falling behind. Torres headed over a good Rodriguez cross and, shortly after the break, fired wastefully over from a decent position after being found by the same player.

But only the alertness of Sotirios Kyrgiakos, back after serving his domestic three-match suspension, prevented Wigan scoring a ridiculous second on 59 minutes.

In defending a long ball, Jamie Carragher took command of the situation ahead of Reina but smacked his clearance at Moreno, Kyrgiakos racing back to head clear off the line.

With Liverpool pressing forward and the home team dangerous on the counter-attack, the game almost became mildly entertaining.

But despite the encouragement of Wigan's inability to shut up shop, Benitez's side struggled to test Kirkland.

And Wigan almost snatched a second on 73 minutes when Reina did enough to divert an N'Zogbia cross away from goal and a sliding Paul Scharner couldn't quite divert the ball in at the far post.

Moments later, Kuyt nodded down a fine Emiliano Insua cross but the volley from Torres dropped the wrong side of the post for Liverpool.

And while Alberto Aquilani and Ryan Babel were brought on to fleetingly raise hopes of an equaliser, Wigan always looked the more likely to extend their lead.

Any more of this and it's not a new pitch that Liverpool will require.