LIVERPOOL warmed up nicely for the Champions League as they took a firm grip on third place in the Premiership. Dirk Kuyt scored a goal in each half taking his total for the season to 13 in what was a cruise in the sun.

Wigan, desperate for something to aid their relegation fight, managed just one shot on target and never got close to bothering the Anfield men.

That surely will have disappointed manager Paul Jewell, a former Liverpool player, who saw his side surrender without a fight and drop closer to the bottom three.

Benitez risked the anger of relegation-fighting managers by leaving Steven Gerrard on the bench . . . the first time he has not started a Premier League game in a year . . .

while also resting Javier Mascherano and Daniel Agger, with fit-again Craig Bellamy also a substitute. But Gerrard's absence until the closing minutes was no hindrance to Liverpool's progress and Wigan's demise.

But with Bolo Zenden in a central midfield role, they did look weak in an area where Wigan packed their players.

And Liverpool were presented with the predictable maze of blue shirts deep in their own half, with only Emile Heskey up front for Wigan.

It wasn't long before Liverpool began to make in roads, John Arne Riise fired wide and then saw a shot charged down, while Leighton Baines' sliding tackle stopped Peter Crouch. But after Baines had again intervened to stop Kuyt, the Dutchman's lack of pace again in evidence, the striker did get on the score sheet.

A 30th-minute cross from Jermaine Pennant on the left, saw Kuyt climb above Matt Jackson to head home, keeper John Filan being caught out having started to come for the catch before stopping.

Wigan sunk even deeper into their own half, and one instance saw Paul Scharner not prepared to cross the halfway line to contest a reasonable 50-50 with Jamie Carragher, such was the visitors' gameplan.

Wigan sent on striker Camara at the break and took off Ryan Taylor, reverting to 44-2. It gave Liverpool that extra midfield space, and when Mark Gonzalez, Kuyt and Crouch combined in a flowing move, the Chile winger stabbed wide inside the sixyard box. Still Liverpool wasted possession, and when Baines got down the left to fire in a cross, it took a strong intervention from Sami Hyypia to stop the ball reaching Heskey six yards out.

On 68 minutes then Bellamy's pace and drive forced the situation for Liverpool to score again. He scampered into the corner to take a Riise pass, turned and found Kuyt, who spun to place his second past Filan from 12 yards.

Wigan's first serious chance came on 79 minutes when Folan saw a fierce header brilliantly saved by Jose Reina following a Josip Skoko free-kick. But Wigan had long ago accepted the inevitable.