Torres' touch gives Shankly's night a fitting end

Liverpool 2 Wigan Athletic 1

Liverpool were remembering the man who, in the words of the statue outside of their stadium "made the people happy" and every aspect of the evening – from the vast "Shanks the Legend" mosaic, to Kevin Keegan, Ron Yeats and others on the pitch at half-time – was loaded with thoughts of times when Liverpool led and others followed.

This was not an occasion which suggests an imminent return to the days when Bill Shankly reminded his players that "if you are second you are nothing"– not least because there was some of Liverpool's usual defensive brittleness both before and after substitute Fernando Torres finished things 11 minutes from time, with his 61st Liverpool goal on his 100th appearance for the club. But at least the opposition – who were plying their trade in the Cheshire League when Shankly first arrived at Anfield 50 years ago – were as generous as the night's other results proved to be.

Of course, the pressures of the Shankly days did not include keeping pace with multimillion pound clubs at a time when resources are limited. Senior Anfield sources insisted yesterday that claims the club have suddenly moved closer to securing £124m new investment are wide of the mark. Last night's positive tone was further undermined by the absence of Torres, still labouring with his hernia injury, until the 64th minute. "He was really, really tired after the last game [against Arsenal]," explained the Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez. Steven Gerrard is still labouring, too. If this wasn't the opportunity to play £20m Alberto Aquilani, then what will be?

But at least Benitez could watch Chris Kirkland become the week's second prospective England goalkeeper to suffer a calamity, albeit with an error not quite of Rob Green's proportions. Kirkland ran out for the ball which Fabio Aurelio lifted over from the right but was clutching at the night air as David Ngog leapt well to nod in. The failure to add more goals, with two outstanding saves by Kirkland from Dirk Kuyt either side of the interval, and Ngog firing wide a deflected pass from Aurelio, exposed Liverpool to more of the anxiety attacks to which they have become prone.

"You could see the anxiety around the ground," observed the Wigan manager Roberto Martinez. "You don't expect to create these sort of chances at Anfield."

Torres seized on Emmerson Boyce's misjudgement of a high ball finally to make it two, rounding Kirkland and touching home the ball which bounced back to him off Titus Bramble. Which was just as well, since Charles N'Zogbia cut across the defence for an injury-time consolation.

It meant Shankly's ghost was still sitting on Benitez's shoulder last night. "In a top side it's difficult because normally you've won trophies and this is one of the biggest clubs in the world," Benitez said. "People say you have to win, have to win."

Liverpool (4-4-2) Reina; Carragher, Skrtel, Agger, Insua; Benayoun (Aquilani, 81), Mascherano, Gerrard, Aurelio (Lucas, 60); Kuyt, Ngog (Torres, 64). Substitutes not used: Cavalieri (gk), Kyrgiakos, Lucas, Darby, Dossena.

Wigan Athletic (4-5-1) Kirkland; Melchiot, Boyce, Bramble, Figueroa; Gomez (Koumas, 82), Diame (Scotland, 58), Thomas, Scharner, N'Zogbia; Rodallega. Substitutes not used: Kingson (gk), Amaya, Cho, Sinclair, De Ridder.

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).

Booked: Liverpool Mascherano; Wigan Thomas.

Man of the match: Ngog.

Attendance: 41,116.