Liverpool vs Wigan Athletic Preview

November 16, 2012 By Gregory Sica

Topics: Liverpool, Wigan, English Premier League

Red-hot Luis Suarez will be looking to guide Liverpool to victory when they play hosts to Wigan Athletic at Anfield.

Liverpool will be hoping to improve on what has been so far a rather disappointing Premier League campaign when they welcome fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic to Anfield on Saturday.

The Reds currently find themselves in 13th position of the Premier League with 12 points, just one position and one point ahead of Wigan.

But Brendan Rodgers' side will have to be at their very best to overcome a Wigan outfit that they have failed to beat in each of their last five meetings. In fact, the last time Liverpool managed to defeat Saturday's opponents was almost three years ago.

Liverpool, who fought out a 1-1 draw with Chelsea last weekend, will be unable to count with the services of a number of players against Wigan, including Martin Kelly, Fabio Borini and Lucas Leiva, who are all injured.

But the good news is that Pepe Reina has recovered from a hamstring problem just in time for the game, and is expected to replace Brad Jones in goal. Other players who will return to action are Martin Skrtel, Jonjo Shelvey and Daniel Agger.

Liverpool's chances of obtaining maximum points lie on the shoulders of star striker Luis Suarez. Suarez has found the back of the net in four consecutive league games, and also scored a superb goal midweek, as his national team Uruguay beat Poland 3-1 in a friendly.

With three defeats and two victories, rivals Wigan have a fairly good away record this season and will be hoping to pull off an upset in Anfield.

But Roberto Martinez, the coach of Wigan, will have to make do without James McArthur, Ryo Miyaichi and permanent absentees Albert Crusat and Antolin Alcaraz.

Martinez has named Franco Di Santo, who featured in Argentina's goalless draw with Saudi Arabia midweek, and Arouna Kone in Wigan's attack.

The Latics will be hoping for a repeat of the last meeting between the sides, when they returned home from Anfield with a 2-1 victory in March of this year.