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Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega's eighth Premier League goal of the season put a huge dent in Liverpool's top-four aspirations at the DW Stadium.

The Colombia international volleyed home Emmerson Boyce's 35th-minute cross after Dirk Kuyt had needlessly given away possession close to his own penalty area.

Liverpool showed little of the quality required for a place in the Champions League once Fernando Torres had hit a post in the eighth minute and the Latics were well worth their victory.

It was Wigan's first Premier League win over Liverpool and only their second over one of the so-called 'big four' - the other coming at home to Chelsea earlier this season. That ended a run of seven league matches without a victory and lifted them four points clear of the relegation zone.

And while it was only sixth-placed Liverpool's second defeat in 11 games it could have done irreparable damage to their chances of finishing fourth as they have now played more games than all of their rivals.

Rafael Benitez's side's problems are clear to see as this was the sixth time in their last eight away league matches they have failed to score. The closest they came in this game was when Torres hit the outside of the upright after Maxi Rodriguez's header from Steven Gerrard's corner dropped to him at the far post.

But Wigan quickly grew in confidence and Marcelo Moreno was only inches from connecting with a driven cross through the six-yard area by Charles N'Zogbia, who was causing left-back Emiliano Insua plenty of problems. Rodallega curled over a 20-yard free-kick after being fouled by Lucas Leiva while Insua's difficulties against N'Zogbia continued as he was booked for bringing down his opponent in the centre-circle.

Gerrard could have opened the scoring in the 26th minute after good link play between Rodriguez, Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun but the England international's first shot was blocked by Paul Scharner and although he quickly recovered he could not hit the target with the follow-up. Lucas was next to be booked for tripping Titus Bramble and Sotirios Kyrgiakos was also cautioned for cynically blocking off Scharner.

Liverpool were struggling to find any sort of rhythm and their alarming tendency to give the ball away proved expensive in the 35th minute. uyt, deep position on the left, rolled the ball aimlessly to Boyce who instantly fired a cross to the far post where Rodallega poked home. It was the first time the Reds had conceded in the opening 45 minutes of a league match for 11 games.

Bramble was then booked for clattering into the back of Torres, who headed over Rodriguez's cross from six yards just before half-time. Within 42 seconds of the second half kicking-off Mascherano had to be quick to block Rodallega's shot.

At the other end Torres, unusually for him, failed to hit the target from Rodriguez's cut-back. Ten minutes into the half Johnson replaced Lucas, with Mascherano returning to his favoured central midfield.

Liverpool almost gifted Wigan a second as Jose Reina came out to claim a through-ball only for Carragher to knock it past him and then smashed his clearance into Moreno. The ball looped towards the goal only for Kyrgiakos to get back to head over his own crossbar.

However, Liverpool were not getting any better and Torres' ambitious 25-yard volley summed things up when it went out for a throw close to the right corner flag.

Wigan should have had a second in the 73rd minute when Rodallega's pass put N'Zogbia through but his shot was partially stopped by Reina and Johnson scrambled the ball out at the far post under pressure from Scharner. Moments later Torres' volley from Kuyt's header down rolled agonisingly wide of the post.

Liverpool's frustrations boiled over as first the Spain international was booked after chasing Boyce half the length of the pitch to bring him down and then Gerrard was then cautioned for diving in on McCarthy, despite appearing to win the ball.

A sign of Liverpool's desperation could been seen in the five minutes of injury time when Kyrgiakos went to play up front. It typified a night when the Reds' short-comings this season were laid bare by an industrious but by no means brilliant Wigan side.

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres marked his first start since January 13 by scoring the winner in an ill-tempered 2-1 victory over Blackburn at Anfield.

The Spain international hit his 13th goal in 17 Premier League appearances just before half-time, having missed five weeks at the start of the year after a knee operation.

Liverpool had gone ahead midway through the half through Steven Gerrard only for Jamie Carragher's handball to allow Keith Andrews to equalise from the penalty spot five minutes before the interval.

With fellow top-four challengers Tottenham and Manchester City both winning this weekend, it was imperative Rafael Benitez's side maintained the pressure - and they managed to grind out a win against combative opponents.

Before the match Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce, who has never had a great relationship with Benitez, had said the Spaniard's side played like his former club Bolton. However, on this evidence - five Rovers players were booked and they could easily have had Steven Nzonzi and Pascal Chimbonda sent off - it was Rovers who lived up to Allardyce's reputation.

But it was the goalscoring return of Torres that will have put a smile on Benitez's face as Liverpool scored for the 26th successive league game at Anfield and the 33rd in all competitions.

Surprisingly, the Spain international played no part in the opening goal, which came from a swift and incisive move started by Lucas on the halfway line. The Brazilian picked out Gerrard who, after exchanging passes with Dirk Kuyt and offloading to Yossi Benayoun, continued his run into the penalty area to collect the return ball, go past Samba and clip home a left-footed shot.

That was after Chris Samba, Martin Olsson and Morten Gamst Pedersen had all had half-chances to put Blackburn ahead. Liverpool, though, were indebted to Jose Reina in the 17th minute as the goalkeeper made a good double save from Pedersen, particularly the first shot which deflected off Jamie Carragher.

On the half-hour Kuyt should have made it 2-0 from Gerrard's corner but appeared to be surprised by the pace of the ball and headed wide from three yards. In the 38th minute Liverpool were forced into a change when Fabio Aurelio limped off with what looked like a thigh injury and was replaced by Emiliano Insua.

Two minutes later Rovers were gifted an equaliser when Benayoun's weak clearance was played straight back into the penalty area and, despite three Liverpool players surrounding Kalinic, Carragher catastrophically went to ground where the ball hit his hand. Andrews fired home from the spot to put his side firmly back in the game.

However, Liverpool went ahead again a minute before the break when Samba could only poke the ball off Torres into the path of Rodriguez, who crossed into the six-yard area for the Spaniard to smash home.

Early in the second half Olsson was booked for handball in the centre-circle before Nzonzi was lucky to escape with a caution, having flattened Lucas with an aggressive push to his face.

Pascal Chimbonda's first act, having come on for Olsson, was to bring down Rodriguez as he threatened to cut into the penalty area. Daniel Agger headed Gerrard's whipped-in free-kick over at the far post.

Chimbonda's second contribution was to carelessly give the ball away to Kuyt, which eventually resulted in Robinson having to tip Rodriguez's shot around the post.

Kalinic was next to go into referee Alan Wiley's book for hacking down Mascherano from behind and, after several close calls, former Liverpool forward El-Hadji Diouf was eventually booked for bringing down Mascherano.

Referee Alan Wiley and one of his linesmen somehow missed Chimbonda, who had already been booked, thrusting his boot into Rodriguez's chest as the Rovers defender rolled on the floor.

Ryan Babel replaced Benayoun for the final 10 minutes but with only a slender lead the pressure began to mount on the hosts. Torres departed to a standing ovation with his work done but in the knowledge he will have to continue to produce on a regular basis if his club are to secure Champions League football next season.