A Luis Suarez strike could not prevent Liverpool slipping to a 2-1 defeat at home to Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

The striker hit his 12th goal of the campaign to equalise a Shaun Maloney penalty, but Gary Caldwell was the match-winner with a cool finish at the Kop end.

The team news had been as notable for those named on the bench as those chosen to start, with 17-year-old Raheem Sterling joining Nathan Eccleston and Jonjo Shelvey in the dugout.

Sterling would get on for the final moments of the match to become the club's third youngest ever player, but neither he nor his teammates could prevent the day ending miserably for the Reds.

Injuries to Martin Kelly and Glen Johnson meant another teenager, Jon Flanagan, was given his first start since August, and it was he who illuminated the opening stages with a couple of bursts down the right and a crunching tackle on Jean Beausejour.

Wigan created the first clear-cut opportunity but Martin Skrtel was there with a timely block to prevent Victor Moses opening the scores.

Liverpool replied on 25 minutes when Downing smashed a volley into the hoardings after exchanging passes with Suarez, but, that aside, it was all a little constrained.

In a game that had so far produced little goalmouth drama it was no surprise that the opening goal arrived from a dead ball, referee Lee Mason pointing to the penalty spot following a high boot from Skrtel in a challenge with Moses. Maloney took charge and dispatched clinically into the bottom left corner to make it 1-0 to the visitors with 30 minutes on the clock.

Suarez showed his usual tenacity on the edge of the box before forcing a diving save from Ali Al Habsi, while Gerrard made the goalkeeper work from a tight angle, but it was a half memorable for its frustration from a Red perspective.

Kenny Dalglish elected to change things at the break, introducing Andy Carroll for Jordan Henderson, but it was two of those who'd played during the opening period that crafted a leveller within two minutes of the restart.

Steven Gerrard received possession on the right and took a moment to locate Suarez with a low cross. Eight yards from goal, the Uruguay star finished first time into the same corner that Maloney had earlier placed the penalty.

Six minutes later the Reds were in front - or so they thought. It was a Gerrard cross headed back across goal by Skrtel that caused mayhem among the Wigan defence, with Suarez intervening to shove the ball across the line. Celebrations ensued but referee Mason called order to declare that Suarez had used his arm.

Instead it was Wigan who struck next on 63 minutes when a Jamie McCarthy blast ricocheted off Jamie Carragher into the path of centre-back Caldwell, who showed ample poise to convert beyond Pepe Reina.

Shelvey was next to take to the field for Liverpool, in place Downing, but chances proved difficult to come by against a resilient Wigan side.

Sterling was also introduced with six minutes remaining and quickly beat a man before finding Skrtel in the box, but the Slovakian was tackled before he could try his luck.

A knock down from Carroll presented Suarez with a half chance late on but he was always going to struggle to navigate Al Habsi from a tight angle.