Liverpool 3-0 Wigan: Sensational Suarez seals comfortable Reds win

Posted Sunday, November 18, 2012 by Goal.com

Brendan Rodgers' side were lacklustre in a flat first-half performance but turned on the style after the break with the Uruguayan forward instrumental in their victory

Liverpool produced a dazzling second-half display to resoundingly beat Wigan 3-0 at Anfield on afternoon, with Luis Suarez scoring twice and Jose Enrique grabbing a third.

The hosts took the lead in the second half, with Suarez grabbing his ninth league goal of the campaign, with a vicious strike from inside the box after some superb work from Raheem Sterling pouncing on some loose Wigan play in midfield.

Suarez bagged his second of the game soon after courtesy of a brilliant run and pass from Jose Enrique which sent the Uruguayan through past the back four to prod home past the onrushing Ali Al-Habsi. Jose Enrique notched the third after tapping home unmarked after some neat interplay from Suarez and Sterling down the right.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers made three changes to the team which drew their last league game away at Chelsea, bringing goalkeeper Pepe Reina back into the side at the expense of Brad Jones, while Suso took Nuri Sahin's place and Martin Skrtel replaced Jamie Carragher with the team lining up in a 4-3-3 formation.

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez named an unchanged starting XI from his team's home defeat against West Brom last weekend, with Arouna Kone and Franco Di Santo once again leading the line.

The hosts started the brighter of the two teams and Jose Enrique, in a more advanced role, dragged an effort just wide from the edge of the area, while Daniel Agger went close shortly afterwards nodding past the post from a Steven Gerrard corner.

Moments before half-time, a flowing move involving Gerrard and Suarez down the right saw the latter drill in an excellent cross which Jose Enrique just failed to turn home, with Al-Habsi getting a strong palm on the ball to keep it out and the two sides went in at the break level.

Liverpool raced out of the blocks in the second half, though and took the lead in the 46th minute through Suarez. Sterling latched on to a poor Beausejour pass before rounding Figueroa at pace and breaking into the box, cutting the ball back for the forward to lash home into the top corner unmarked to hand his side the lead.

With Rodgers' side dominating possession, they doubled their advantage in the 57th minute with Suarez once again grabbing the goal, after coolly slotting home when put through one-on-one by a magnificent pass from Jose Enrique.

They made it three in the 65th minute with Jose Enrique capped another lively performance in an unfamiliar role on the wing by tapping home into an empty net after Al-Habsi palmed out Sterling's low shot after a fantastic one-two with Suarez in the box.

The hosts should have made it four minutes later when Jordan Henderson, on as a substitute for Suso, blazed over a volley at the back post when put through by a delicate Suarez pass over the top.

By this point it was simply a matter of damage limitation for Martinez's side and Johnson almost extended Liverpool's lead to four, but his drive from the edge of the box after a mazy run was pulled just wide of the bottom left-hand corner with the goalkeeper beaten.

Despite flooding forward in search of another, Liverpool were unable to add to their tally on an afternoon full of promising performances and energetic attacking play in a rare but hugely deserved home victory.