There are some teams, some managers, and some players, that you don't like playing. Bogey teams, if you will. Since Wigan Athletic's promotion to the highest tier of English football in 2005, they have certainly found themselves described as such by fans of numerous teams, Liverpool included. The plucky Latics followed up their impressive promotion by an even more impressive stay in the Premier League; a position they have managed to attain for 8 years by swinging through moments of bleak despair to punctual elation, often looking doomed for large parts of seasons before saving their top flight status using a tried and tested formula of hard work and determination, occasionally lifted by a flash of quality or good old fashioned luck. That's not to say that their position has not been earned; Wigan have proven time and time again that they have both the physical and mental attributes to survive and even prosper in the Premier League despite being it's youngest club. Being a bogey team for several top half clubs has played a useful part in their tenure, with Liverpool one of the teams getting used to walking away having taken nothing from the Latics, a team they should by rights be beating every time. The scale of Liverpool's struggles against Wigan were highlighted by the sheer joy expressed when the reds smashed past them earlier this season, winning 3-0 thanks to two wonderful finishes by Luis Suarez and a goal from Jose Enrique, operating from left midfield on the day. In fact, that victory was the first time Liverpool had beaten Wigan at Anfield since 2009, and the reds are still awaiting their first win at the DW stadium, where they travel to on Saturday, since 2007. That brings us nicely to the weekends game, which will see two teams with two sides face off in an unpredictable encounter. Wigan have found themselves in the bottom five at this point in the campaign in each of the last four seasons, and will now be preparing for a push out of the darkness and into the light. Their form has certainly picked up of late, although they remain, like Liverpool, consistently inconsistent and equally as likely to beat a top side as they are to get annihilated by a minnow. The last month has seen them pick up draws against Southampton and Stoke, the latter away from home, while last week's 3-0 win against Reading will be seen as a big plus for a side still flirting with relegation. Meanwhile Liverpool find themselves in a now customary position where even winning every game may not bring them what they want - Champions League football. However the reds will be keen to both finish high up the table and achieve European qualification once again in order to keep their players and fans satisfied, and thus this, along with every fixture for the rest of the 2012/13 campaign, has to be considered a "must-win" game. Liverpool will certainly be up for it. The positives and encouragement found in their defiant loss to Zenit at Anfield will have done little to soothe the disappointment of a season without a trophy, nor dampen the anxiety over an upcoming season without European competition. Memories of what might have been will soon be replaced by pride in an outstanding effort that could well kick start a winning run. Wigan's manager Roberto Martinez may have attempted to distance himself from Liverpool's hunt for a successor to Kenny Dalglish in the summer but there's few who doubt he was somewhat in the running for the position that Brendan Rodgers now occupies. The Spaniard stands amongst a group of players and fans who love and support him, and believe he can lead them away from relegation again, whilst Liverpool's schizophrenic fanbase still remains undecided on whether they have the right man for the job. There have been enough performances, goals and wonderful play this season to convince the more trusting and patient of Liverpool fans that Rodgers is the manager needed to turn a transitional period of ups and downs into a project with purpose, while many cynical supporters still need proof. Liverpool still have a chance to save their season, while roots for the next few have already been made. The future is secure, but their are a few loose ends to tie up in the present. Liverpool need to start making things happen in the home stretch of this campaign. Winning against 17th placed Wigan would be a good start. Wigan vs Liverpool is live right now on ESPN.