Raul Meireles opened the scoring midway through the first half, latching onto a half-cleared cross and fizzing a volley into the back of the net to secure his fifth goal in six matches.

Wigan restored parity on 65 minutes when Steve Gohouri converted at close range after reaching Charles N'Zogbia's deep centre.

Suarez rattled the crossbar with a free-kick late on as the Reds searched for a winner, though ultimately they were forced to settle for a point.

The result, however, does see Liverpool extend their unbeaten run to six matches and consolidates their position of sixth in the table.

The home side went into the contest hoping to extend their four-match winning run in the Barclays Premier League - a sequence achieved with the aid of a quartet of clean sheets and that elevated them up to sixth in the table ahead of kick-off.

And Kenny Dalglish further enhanced the feel-good factor currently reverberating around Anfield by handing Luis Suarez his first Reds start in attack alongside Dirk Kuyt.

Meanwhile, it was a landmark afternoon for Lucas Leiva with the Brazilian making his 100^th league appearance for the club.

It total, two changes were made to the team that had emerged victorious at Stamford Bridge last weekend. However, Liverpool were without the services of Steven Gerrard and Daniel Agger for the visit of the Latics.

Dalglish's charges kicked off knowing that a win would take them to within three points of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, both of whom don't play until later this weekend.

Interestingly, this was only the third time in the last 12 months a Liverpool home match in the league had kicked off at the traditional time of 3pm on a Saturday afternoon.

The Reds certainly made an enterprising start to the contest and new boy Suarez was appealing for a penalty inside three minutes after going down under the challenge of Gary Caldwell as he attempted to play a one-two with Kuyt inside the box.

Those appeals were waved away by referee Kevin Friend and his assistants, and Wigan took their chance to threaten - though the danger was quickly snuffed out by Carragher as Hugo Rodallega lurked.

The hosts quickly reasserted themselves, with Suarez a central figure in everything the Reds did in an attacking capacity early on.

It was what is seemingly fast becoming a trademark deft flick from the Uruguayan that carved open a shooting chance for Kuyt on 18 minutes, but his stinging drive from the edge of the area was collected by Ali Al Habsi at the second attempt.

But Liverpool did take the lead on 23 minutes - and the identity of the goalscorer came as little surprise to anyone inside Anfield.

Sterling work from Fabio Aurelio created space for a left-wing cross, which was headed away by Gohouri. However, it only succeeded in falling for Meireles just inside the box, and the Portuguese star required no second invitation to dispatch a typically composed volleyed finish beyond Al Habsi.

That strike took the former Porto midfielder's tally to an astonishing five goals in his last six appearances.

It was nearly two instantly as Suarez cut in from the left and danced away from Caldwell before clipping an effort against the base of the far post.

But Wigan were proving they were far from being pushovers and after a spell of concerted pressure from the visitors, Pepe Reina was called into action just before half-time to repel a skimming free-kick from N'Zogbia.

The Latics threatened again seconds after the restart when only a last-ditch block from Martin Skrtel prevented Rodallega from sweeping home N'Zogbia's dangerous centre.

Back came Liverpool and Suarez stung the palms of Al Habsi with a strike from 20 yards after Antolin Alcaraz had misjudged his headed clearance.

Dalglish made a change on 54 minutes, introducing David Ngog for Meireles, who departed straight down the Anfield tunnel suggesting he had sustained a knock.

Aurelio then lofted a free-kick over the Wigan bar prior to Kuyt drawing a low stop out of Al Habsi as Liverpool attempted to enhance their advantage.

However, the Latics levelled on 65 minutes when a half-cleared set piece was worked out to N'Zogbia on the right. His deep in-swinging cross somehow made its way to the back post and allowed Gohouri to prod past Reina.

Liverpool's response saw Suarez crash a free-kick against the bar from 20 yards, but only after Rodallega had headed over for Wigan moments prior.

With time ticking away on the Anfield scoreboard, the hosts poured forward in search of a winner and a well-worked move involving Glen Johnson and Maxi fashioned another opportunity for Suarez, but he could only lash over.

Aurelio then went agonisingly close with a long-range strike and Skrtel powered a header over, but the two sides had to settle for a point apiece.

Liverpoolfc.tv man of the match: Luis Suarez