LIVERPOOL were left 12 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal after Titus Bramble cancelled out a goal from Fernando Torres to earn Wigan Athletic a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
After a frustrating first half, the Reds, who on Sunday dropped two points in a goalless draw with Manchester City - and who leapfrogged Liverpool into fourth place Wednesday with a win away to Newcastle - looked to be on their way to victory after Torres gave them the lead four minutes into the second-half.
But Bramble scored his second goal in two games with a powerful strike to lift Wigan out of the bottom three and leave the Reds' title hopes dangling by a thread.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez recalled Jermaine Pennant for his first start suffering a shin problem in October but he added little attacking thrust to an off-colour home side in the first-half.
The Reds, desperate to close the imposing gap on Arsenal, took time to create any decent chances.
And after a combination of Michael Brown and Mario Melchiot denied Torres, Paul Scharner did well to block Australia international Harry Kewell's close-range effort from Fabio Aurelio's cross.
After Steven Gerrard wasted two opportunities to clear, Brown fired just wide of Pepe Reina's post with a half-volley from 15 metres.
It was the unlikely figure of Javier Mascherano who should have given the hosts the lead in the 22nd minute.
The Argentinian swapped passes with Pennant and Torres but then shot straight at Chris Kirkland when he was clean through on the former-Liverpool goalkeeper.
As Wigan continued to frustrate the hosts, Ryan Taylor almost caught Reina out with a curling free-kick from 30 yards.
Benitez's side passed up another good opening when Gerrard failed to test Kirkland after anticipating Torres's flick.
A sustained spell of pressure saw Steve Finnan cross but Kewell failed to make contact with the goal at his mercy.
Just before the interval, the Latics left Torres free but the Spaniard flashed a header onto the roof of the net from Finnan's whipped free-kick.
And Torres did well to collect Kewell's knock down the line, only for Gerrard to scuff his shot from the striker's clever pass. But Liverpool finally broke the deadlock early in the second-half, with Finnan the catalyst.
The right-back passed to Gerrard, surged onto his captain's return pass and squared for Torres to tuck the ball past Kirkland.
Shortly after, Bramble was alert to hack clear after Kirkland got a hand to Gerrard's fizzing free-kick.
Midway through the second period, Pennant crossed but Gerrard's low effort was easily held by Kirkland.
Kewell, before he was replaced by Yossi Benayoun, found space on the left and hit a fierce drive that flew narrowly wide of Kirkland's goal.
As Wigan started to open up, a move that swept from Liverpool's left to right, eventually saw Gerrard's shot blocked and Pennant's low cross deflected wide off Bramble.
But Bramble, who scored his first goal for Wigan in the 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa last time out, showed his quality at the other end.
Gerrard should have cleared a Denny Landzaat free-kick and Bramble fired a powerful shot past Reina from just outside the area to shock Anfield.
Gerrard went close twice in the closing stages but Wigan held on for a well-deserved point.
Liverpool still have to travel to the top three of Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea, having picked up just two points from three home games against the leading trio.
Despite his team having failed to win five of their last eight games, Benitez is adamant that Liverpool still have a chance of ending their 18-year wait for the league title, which they last won in 1990.
“It's clear the gap is bigger but I've said before that it's a long race and you need to keep thinking about one game at a time if you can.
“If you think about the difference, you will play with more pressure,” said Benitez, whose team begin their FA Cup campaign against struggling third-tier team Luton Town on Sunday.
“It's clear that you must try to play well, create chances, score goals and win games and see the situation every week,” the Spaniard added.
“It's a difficult position (to be chasing the leaders again) but especially when you know you're creating chances in all of the games and you can't score the second goal and kill the game. It's a problem.”
Benitez also defended his policy of playing Fernando Torres on his own in attack for 82 minutes against Wigan at Anfield.
Torres opened the scoring just after half-time but Titus Bramble snatched a point for the visitors, who climbed out of the bottom three on the back of this result, with 10 minutes left.
“We were trying to play with wingers really wide and spread out the other team and Gerrard getting into the box,” Benitez explained.
“We had two or three chances and if you play with two or three strikers, they can play deep and compact. We were trying to play with wingers to create space.”
Wigan manager Steve Bruce took his side out of the relegation zone with the point at Anfield and revealed he is close to adding to his squad during this month's transfer window.
“We have to be in and around and in the pack. If we can add, and the chairman will back me, three or four new faces in January, that will give us a little strength in depth.
“We're making one or two enquiries and as usual we're boxing a bit clever,” the former Birmingham boss and Manchester United captain added.
“I knew the job would be hard when I took over. We were only two points above (bottom club) Derby so you have to bring a bit of belief.
“In the six or seven games since I've taken over we've played five top 10 teams and we've amassed a few points that have got us out of trouble.
“Six weeks ago I thought we were in danger of being marooned if we hadn't picked up a couple of results.”
By Graham Chase
January 03, 2008
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