Kuyt to Liverpool´s rescue as Wigan see red

Dirk Kuyt hit an 85th-minute winner as Liverpool snatched a late victory for the second successive game in a five-goal thriller against 10-man Wigan at Anfield on Saturday.

Rafa Benitez's men were trailing 2-1 with 10 minutes remaining when Spanish midfielder Albert Riera equalised from 20 yards.

Then five minutes later Kuyt connected with Jermaine Pennant's 85th-minute cross to earn his side a 3-2 win and keep Liverpool level on points with Chelsea at the Premier League summit.

In an action-packed encounter, Egyptian striker Amr Zaki scored twice to give Wigan a surprise 2-1 half-time lead.

But Wigan's hopes of producing a shock victory vanished when Ecuador winger Antonio Valencia was dismissed in the 75th minute after a two-footed tackle earned him a second yellow card of the afternoon.

Benitez had expressed his concerns on the eve of the game about the fatigue factor after having 16 players away on international duty in the build-up to Wigan's visit.

Javier Mascherano had only returned on Friday night after representing Argentina while Liverpool were denied the services of Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel due to injuries picked up playing for their respective countries.

The Liverpool manager recalled Pennant for his first Premier League start of the season, while Kuyt linked up with Robbie Keane in attack in the absence of Torres.

Yet the hosts looked a shadow of the team which had started the season unbeaten in 12 games.

There was no sign of the slick passing which had taken Benitez's side to joint top of the table while Liverpool's usually hard-to-beat defence was at fault for both of Wigan's goals.

Zaki's first will no doubt make it onto the next 'Football's Greatest Blunders' DVD after a horrendous 29th-minute error by Daniel Agger gifted the forward his sixth Premier League goal since arriving on a season-long loan from Zamalek.

Agger, who was only playing because Martin Skrtel was injured, lost possession on the edge of his own area and Zaki picked his spot in front of The Kop.

The lead lasted eight minutes before Agger made amends by teeing-up Kuyt to equalise from 10 yards after the defender had played a one-two with Albert Riera to carve open the Wigan defence.

An ambitious effort by Kuyt from outside the area almost gave Liverpool a 44th-minute lead, but his effort crashed against the bar. In a thrilling end to the half, Wigan responded by storming forward to stun the hosts a second time.

If Zaki had been gifted his first goal, then his second proved what a truly gifted finisher the powerful 25-year-old is, as he volleyed Valencia's cross past Reina from a tight angle.

A livid Benitez wondered why his defence allowed Valencia to cross, but it was a delightful goal and even earned applause from Liverpool fans who appreciated the quality of Zaki's finish.

Liverpool had come back from 2-0 down in their previous match at Manchester City to win 3-2, and they were going to have to score twice in the second half if they were to extend their winning run to five games.

Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland, formerly of Liverpool, produced a fine block to deny Kuyt in the 58th minute but it took the dismissal of Valencia to get the hosts back into the game.

Riera fired through a sea of legs to equalise from 20 yards before Kuyt sealed a dramatic win from inside the area, Kirkland unable to keep out the Dutchman's effort.