Premier League: Liverpool 1 Wigan 1

Steve Gohouri’s second-half strike cancelled out Raul Meireles’ opener as Wigan grabbed a point in a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Liverpool.

The Reds started brightly at Anfield and manoeuvred the ball around the field well but without creating too much danger.

For all of Liverpool’s dominance, however, the visitors’ more direct style of play meant they posed a greater threat on goal in the early stages.

Wigan did well to hold on to Hugo Rodallega in the transfer window and the Columbian twice went close in the opening ten minutes of this game.

But Roberto Martinez’s men were unable to take those chances and were made to pay when the hosts took the lead just before the half-hour mark. After Wigan failed to clear their lines, Fabio Aurelio whipped the ball back into the danger area for Raul Meireles to lash a volley past Ali Al Habsi.

Luis Suarez went close for Liverpool and Wigan were fortunate to be just one goal down at the break.

But the visitors burst forward in the second half and levelled the scores when Gohouri capitalised on a defensive error to poke home. The inexperienced Martin Kelly was caught napping and Liverpool paid dearly for his lapse in concentration.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard bossed the midfield and his team should have pushed on to reclaim the lead. Dirk Kuyt was wasteful when handed an easy chance, and the hosts failed to produce the cutting edge required to nab a winner.

Gary Caldwell and Antolin Alcaraz stood tall in the Wigan backline and there was no way through for Kenny Dalglish’s men as the game drew to a close.