Liverpool had endured goalless draws in their previous two league games, sparking much criticism of boss Rafael Benitez’s rotation policy.

In the end it was substitute Benayoun, a £5million buy from West Ham in the summer, who netted a 75th minute winner for his first league goal for the Reds.

From Wigan’s perspective, it was another brave yet fruitless performance against one of the big boys as they have still to take a point off of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United since they were promoted to the top flight in 2005.

At least this was a dramatic improvement on the corresponding fixture last season when they were 4-0 down at the interval.

On that occasion they were torn apart from the opening whistle, primarily due to the pace of former striker Craig Bellamy to which the Latics could find no answer.

There was no Bellamy this time around – sold to West Ham in the summer – but instead there was Fernando Torres, the club record £26million replacement.

There had been a great debate surrounding Torres in the build-up to this encounter due to Benitez’s continual rotation of his stars.

Torres had sat on the bench for the previous two league matches in which Liverpool had failed to score at Portsmouth and at home to Birmingham.

Benitez then handed the Spain international a start in the midweek Carling Cup tie at Reading, and he responded with a hat-trick.

That prompted speculation as to whether Benitez should play the 23-year-old from the off against Wigan, and he ultimately opted to pair him with Dirk Kuyt.

He had Liverpool’s three best chances in an opening 45 minutes in which goalkeeper Jose Reina was a virtual spectator.

That was due to Wigan being deprived of their two first-choice strikers, with Antoine Sibierski a late withdrawal with a hamstring problem, joining Emile Heskey on the sidelines.

That led to boss Chris Hutchings handing Julius Aghahowa his first start this season alongside Marcus Bent, and the lack of cohesion and understanding between the duo was alarming.

Appreciably, after Wigan had started brightly, Liverpool edged into the game with every minute that passed and after Jermaine Pennant and John Arne Riise had shots blocked, Torres took over.

His first effort in the 25th minute was scuffed after Kuyt had delightfully cushioned a downward header to a Pennant cross into his path, giving Kirkland a comfortable take.

His second on the half hour came after a woeful error from life-long Reds fan Jason Koumas who sprayed a pass along the halfway line directly to Kuyt.

The Holland forward immediately set Torres clear, and after outpacing Emmerson Boyce, he stabbed a shot goalwards that was blocked at point-blank range by Kirkland.

Wigan were then fortunate as the ricochet sprang off the Spaniard and rebounded inches past the left-hand post.

The spectacular followed from Torres two minutes later with a scissor kick that was just wide after rising to meet a right-wing ball from Alvaro Arbeloa, with Wigan’s defence nowhere.

But then after the break Torres went missing as Wigan played with a fierce determination to their game, in particular with Titus Bramble an immense presence in defence.

Bent did have the ball in the net in the 50th minute, but it was controversially ruled out, stifling his delight.

Aghahowa, running back when the ball was played in by Josip Skoko, was offside, but not Bent who was three yards on when the cross was delivered.

Koumas forced Reina into his only meaningful save of the game five minutes later, before a combination of Kirkland and Skoko denied Kuyt soon after.

As the game started to swing from end to end, an ungainly flick from Paul Scharner as he beat Reina to a Koumas ball over the top finished agonisingly wide.

Then after Gerrard had screamed a 25-yard drive narrowly past the right-hand post, the Reds finally broke the deadlock 15 minutes from time.

Benayoun, on for Fabio Aurelio in the 56th minute, had plenty of work to do in picking up the ball a few yards outside the Wigan area.

But with an innocuous flick he gave himself time and space before beating Kirkland with a low shot.

Wigan, though, should have taken a point, only for Aghahowa to bury a six-yard header to a Koumas cross inches wide in the first of three minutes of injury time.