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Rafael Benitez rested his big guns for Wednesday's crunch European semi-final clash with Chelsea, leaving Steven Gerrard, Daniel Agger and Javier Mascherano on the bench.
And the absence of midfield general Gerrard showed in the first ten minutes as the Reds made a tentative start.
The first chance came when the lively Jermaine Pennant played a raking cross-field ball to Mark Gonzalez, who touched on for John Arne Riise to fire a thunderbolt that flashed wide.
The former Birmingham winger then fed Kuyt with a neat through ball before Arjan De Zeeuw made a last-gasp challenge to stop the powerful hitman putting the Reds in front.
But after much possession and little penetration, Liverpool opened the scoring on 30 minutes.
Pennant whipped a cross into the danger area for Dutchman Kuyt, who leaped ahead of Wigan keeper John Filan to bury his header.
Wigan offered little in attack and lone striker Emile Heskey cut an isolated figure up front, but the Latics defended stoutly from the front and restricted Liverpool to just a handful of chances in a quiet first half.
But Paul Jewell's men should have been two down after the break when Kuyt crossed for a sliding Gonzalez, but the Chilean failed to connect properly when it seemed easier to score.
Then Pennant found Kuyt with a deft chip but the Dutch striker chested it down instead of shooting and the chance went begging.
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Liverpool were content to stay in second gear, reserving their energies for Chelsea, but they nearly added to their lead when Spanish full-back Alvaro Arbeloa rose to meet a Pennant cross only to head the ball straight at Filan.
It didn't take long for the second though as a mazy run from substitute Craig Bellamy saw him exchange passes with Riise before freeing Kuyt, who turned expertly and arrowed a shot into the bottom corner.
Wigan's best chance fell to Caleb Folan but the striker's powerful header was brilliantly turned away for a corner by Jose Reina.
Kuyt should have bagged his hat-trick at the death but his header fell tamely to Filan.
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