Ryan Babel comes into the team with Maxi Rodriguez suspended and Yossi Benayoun injured.

There’s no starting place for Alberto Aquilani, with the inspirational holding midfield combination of Lucas and Mascherano preferred by manager Rafa Benitez.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel, Torres

Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Riera, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, El Zhar, Kelly

The match is live on five (UK).

The former reserve team captain has made two starts this season, at home to Fiorentina and away to Reading in the FA Cup. He has been overlooked throughout Glen Johnson’s two months on the sidelines.

Manager Rafa Benitez has preferred to play Jamie Carragher, and more recently Javier Mascherano, out of position rather than blood the 21 year old Liverpudlian.

Despite his mistake against Fiorentina late-on, he performed admirably against Reading but was promptly dropped for Philipp Degen for the replay and has now seen the manager prefer to play Mascherano in his position instead.

Sotirios Kyrgiakos returns to centre back alongside Jamie Carragher following his domestic ban.

Lucas and Steven Gerrard continue in the centre of midfield, with Maxi, Benayoun and Kuyt behind Torres.

Wigan: Kirkland, Boyce, Caldwell, Bramble, Figueroa, Diame, McCarthy, N’Zogbia, Scharner, Rodallega, Moreno.
Subs: Amaya, Thomas, Scotland, Moses, Gomez, Sinclair, Stojkovic.

Liverpool: Reina, Mascherano, Carragher, Krygiakos, Insua, Lucas, Gerrard, Maxi, Kuyt, Benayoun, Torres.
Subs: Cavalieri, Johnson, Aqulani, Agger, Riera, Babel, N’Gog

Kick off: 8pm

TV

Live on ESPN in the UK and USA.
Streams available via our forums.

Rafa on… the race for fourth place

Rafa on… Wigan and their manager Roberto Martinez

Torres recently returned from a knee injury, scoring in last Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Blackburn at Anfield.

But Benitez says that Liverpool’s number nine is not yet at full fitness, and continues to work hard at getting back to his best as quickly as he can.

He said, “Fernando is not fully match fit, not really. One week ago he was not fully fit for games and he cannot be in one week – it is not a miracle.

“He has to keep working and he has spent some time in the gym and he can be better every week.

“I could say to you he is 50% and then he scores three against Wigan. He is improving but it is a question of games.

“Sometimes it is not just your match fitness, it is if you can play well or be in the right position to score the winning goal.

“Then everything changes. It is not just a physical aspect.”

Liverpool take on Wigan in the Premier League on Monday night.

The Reds defender, 32, who has been at Anfield all his career since 1997, has little over one year left to run on his current deal, with no signs of movement from the club to extend his stay yet.

He told the Sunday Times, “I’ll still play my best and if I have to move then I’ll move. It wouldn’t bother me

“The club will give me a new contract if they want to,” he added. “It’s a club thing. It’s down to them. I’ll keep playing and see where it takes me.”

The versatile defender quit international football in 2007 after becoming disillusioned with a lack of opportunities in the England team and said he was “not scared of making big decisions”.

However manager Rafa Benitez says there is no rush over penning Carragher’s new deal, suggesting that the defender is concentrating on matters on the pitch.

Johnson has yet to feature in 2010 following a knee injury he suffered against Aston Villa on 29th December.

He has now returned to training, “He trained on Friday. It was a full training session and I think he will be okay to go in the squad for Wigan”, explained Reds boss Rafa Benitez.

With Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun also having recently returned from spells on the sidelines, Benitez is positive the returns of such influential players can push his side on “The players we have coming back now can have an influence on the run-in” he said.

Torres played 25 minutes for Spain in the week and should be fine to start the match at the DW Stadium.

The Reds are though without Martin Skrtel, who has been ruled out for up to 8 weeks with a broken toe, and Daniel Agger faces a late fitness test on bruising he suffered in the win over Blackburn last week.

Sotirios Krygiakos is available after suspension.

Fabio Aurelio was once again ruled out with an injury this week, the Liverpool left-back suffered a thigh strain in the win over Blackburn and will now be out for three weeks.

His appearance against Blackburn was just his 14th of the season after an injury plagued campaign that began with him missing the opening fixtures following a knee cartilage operation on an injury sustained in a kickabout with friends back in Brazil over the summer.

After recovering from that he then missed most of November with a calf injury and had to pull out of the Brazil squad to face England after suffering a muscle injury. He suffered another calf injury in the draw at Stoke back in January – the Blackburn match being his first League start since then.

With the former Valenica man’s contract expiring this summer, his future looks far from certain.

Back in November it was reported Liverpool had offered the player a pay-as-you-play contract but that was rejected. Reds boss Rafa Benitez said “Fabio has been really unlucky. When we spoke to him about a contract extension he had an injury and he has had lots of injuries in the past. We made him an offer and his agent rejected it. Then he suffered another injury and we have had to analyse the situation again. We will talk again in the future because he is a good person, a great professional and a great player. Maybe his situation needs to be looked at in a different way and he needs to be realistic.”

Aurelio arrived on a bosman free transfer from Spanish side Valencia in 2006, making his debut as a sub in the Charity Shield win over Chelsea. A series of injuries restricted his appearances to 25 for this first season at the club, his season was ended prematurely when he ruptured his achilles’ tendon during the Champions League quarter-final victory over PSV.

Fabio enjoyed his most successful campaign last season, making 32 appearances in all competitions including sub appearances, and most memorably scoring stunning free-kicks at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge.

With Emiliano Insua firmly establishing himself as Rafa Benitez’s first choice left-back this season, and Aurelio’s continued injury problems, should he be offered a new contract?

Join in the debate below or let us know in the forums.

Steven Gerrard captained England to a 3-1 win over Egypt.

Over in Germany, Javier Mascherano captained Argentina to an impressive 1-0 win.

Dirk Kuyt scored a penalty as Holland saw off USA, 2-1.

Fernando Torres played the last 30 minutes for Spain in their 2-0 win in France.

The Big Greek Kyrgiakos played the full 90 minutes for Greece against Senegal.

Elsewhere, Yossi Benayoun scored for Isreal in their 2-0 win over Romania.