Team news

Mascherano set to retain place Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano is likely to be fit to face Wigan at Anfield in the Barclays Premier League.

The Argentina captain sustained a thigh problem which forced him off in Sunday's defeat at home to Arsenal but he trained today and is expected to retain his place in the starting line-up.

Right-back Glen Johnson, also substituted against the Gunners, spent today with the physiotherapists and did not train. He is more of a doubt.

Winger Albert Riera still has a hamstring problem so will not be risked while #20million summer signing Alberto Aquilani is likely to find himself on the bench again.

Manager Rafael Benitez will continue to shoulder the burden of criticism for his faltering Liverpool team as he has absolute faith in the methods which he expects his players to follow.

Sunday's defeat to Arsenal, having taken a first-half lead, was their sixth of the season and left them five points adrift of the Champions League places.

However, Benitez is prepared to "guarantee" that the club will finish in the top four this season as he believes only minor changes need to be made.

"I think it is very important for any manager, but especially here in England, to be strong," he said. "You have to show you have an idea, you have your own people that you can talk with and analyse things and say `This is the way to do things' and we have to keep going.

"The main thing for me is to come here early in the morning, do my job, go home still working a little bit and try to be ready for the next day.

"That is the way to do things and that is an example for the players - and they are doing the same thing." Hendry Thomas is set to return as Wigan look to heap more pressure on Liverpool by registering their first win at Anfield.

The Honduran missed Saturday's draw at Stoke through suspension but is expected to be restored to the starting line-up, with Jordi Gomez standing down.

Former Liverpool keeper Chris Kirkland suffered no reaction to his recent back injury at the Britannia Stadium and will face the club he made 25 appearances for in a five-year stay.

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has tipped Kirkland to be England's World Cup keeper.

It may seem like an outlandish suggestion given Kirkland has only represented his country once, as a substitute against Greece in August 2006.

But with doubts surrounding all his other keepers, Capello might be forced to look at potential alternatives.

And, on the eve of his return to Liverpool, Kirkland has been given top billing by his club boss.

"Chris would be the perfect choice," said Martinez. "He has proved beyond question that he is one of the best English goalkeepers and is now in the best form of his career.

Liverpool vs Wigan

Last modified 13:28 07/01/10

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Thanks, Shanks

Even though the great man left us nearly 30 years ago, he can still inspire his beloved Liverpool to victory.

Liverpool badly needed a lift after the traumatic last few months and they got it last night as they marked the 50th anniversary of Bill Shankly's first game in charge.

Many of his former players, such as Kevin Keegan, Ian St John and Tommy Smith, were at Anfield to join in the commemorations and they helped recreate some of the old Shankly magic for the current side.

Maybe it was because he was looking down on them that Liverpool finally got a break as they won for the first time in nearly eight weeks at Anfield to register only their fourth victory in 16 games.

There was more than a slice of good fortune about the unconvincing win and perhaps Shankly's spirit had something to do with Jason Scotland volleying against the bar when he had the goal at his mercy late on.

Whatever the reason, Liverpool were glad to accept this piece of luck after the wretched run they have been on and minutes later Fernando Torres marked his 100th appearance by coming off the bench to score and seal this most-welcome of wins.

Rafa Benitez said: "Everybody here knows how important Bill Shankly was for the club. He was a legend and to see the former players around was also positive because it means this is a fantastic club with a great history.

"It was important to win to get the three points. We knew we had to win. It doesn't matter that we might have scored more goals and been more relaxed. At the end of the day, it is the three points which are important."

David Ngog started in place of Torres and the French Under-21 striker provided further evidence of his blossoming talent when he opened the scoring on nine minutes to crown a bright start by Liverpool.

Fabio Aurelio arrowed over a deep cross from right wing with his left foot and Ngog rose to glance a header past ex-Red Chris Kirkland for his sixth goal of the campaign.

"Ngog is improving," said Benitez. "He is a very good option for us if Torres cannot play or to play alongside him."

Liverpool have shown this season they are vulnerable when they've scored and they went to sleep a couple of minutes later to allow Paul Scharner a free header from Charles N'Zogbia's cross, which the Austrian wastefully nodded straight at Pepe Reina.

Anfield, still fragile after Sunday's traumatic defeat to Arsenal, heaved a collective sigh of relief at that massive let-off.

Wigan's brave new passing game under Roberto Martinez suited Liverpool's style and the Reds opened the visitors up down the right when Ngog pulled the ball back for Dirk Kuyt to hit a venomous shot, which was well blocked by Kirkland, who was still recovering from being clattered by Emmerson Boyce.

The lively Ngog had arguably his best game in a Liverpool shirt and he latched on to Aurelio's deflected pass down the left channel only for him to hit his angled shot just past the far post.

Kirkland was also proving his worth on his return to Anfield and he made a brilliant reflex save to touch over Kuyt's piledriver from Ngog's cross.

Ngog had arguably his finest performance in a red shirt and he was congratulated by Benitez when he came off to be replaced by Torres on 64 minutes for his 100th appearance for the club.

Scotland should have stolen Torres' thunder on his big night when on 74 minutes and he cracked a left-foot volley against the face of the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Torres made Scotland pay for that miss when he clocked up his 49th league goal for Liverpool - and his 11th of the campaign - on 79 minutes.

He raced on to a long ball, rounded Kirkland and when Titus Bramble blocked his first stabbed effort, he knocked the rebound home.

Liverpool still almost fouled up and they endured a nervy finale when N'Zogbia ghosted past Emiliano Insua, Daniel Agger and Jamie Carragher before firing home the goal Wigan's football deserved in the second minute of stoppage time.

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez felt his side paid for their mistakes at both ends.

"The first goal was really, really soft and there was a lapse in concentration," he said. "The key moment is when Jason Scotland hits the crossbar. If that had gone in, it would have been a completely different game.

"You could see the anxiety around the ground and we're disappointed we didn't get anything out of the performance.

"Jason is disappointed because these situations, he always takes them and if scores, it's points for the team."