• Dutch winger admits morale is low at Anfield
• ‘We can’t create a kind of confidence with winning games’

Ryan Babel has admitted Liverpool’s confidence is at such a low ebb that they were lacking in self-belief prior to their defeat at Wigan Athletic.

Liverpool had hauled themselves back into contention for the fourth Champions League qualifying place with a run of only one defeat in 10 league games before the trip to the DW Stadium yesterday. Their subsequent performance and first ever league defeat against Wigan prompted rare public criticism from the manager Rafael Benítez towards his players, who he accused of having the wrong attitude and showing a lack of character in the first half of the game.

Babel suggests Liverpool’s problems are more deep-rooted, however, with the frank admission their hard-fought recovery in the Premier League could not remedy fragile confidence in a season of frequent set-backs. “It is disappointing that we can’t create a kind of confidence with winning games. One defeat seems to spoil all the confidence that we have and then we have to start again,” said the Dutch international.

Liverpool remain in sixth following yesterday’s defeat and only one point behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, although Spurs, Manchester City and Aston Villa all have games in hand in the congested race for Champions League qualification.

Babel added: “We still have hope and faith that we can get fourth place. It will be harder in every game. It was going to be difficult even before this game. We needed to get three points and that’s why the disappointment is so big that we failed.

“We will analyse everything. We have made it a little difficult for ourselves. We had space in the first half to play football but then they scored and it upset things. They stayed behind the ball and it was hard for us.”

Roberto Martínez, the Wigan manager, admitted his tactics had succeeded in producing a frustrated reaction from Liverpool at the DW Stadium, where they collected five bookings. The Spaniard said: “You have to give us credit. We caused them to be frustrated. They couldn’t find a way through and there was a frustrated reaction from Liverpool, but that was down to the work ethic and understanding between the Wigan Athletic players.”

Liverpool travel to France on Thursday ahead of the Europa League last-16 first-leg tie against Lille, who are fifth in Ligue

• Liverpool manager could not hide disappointment after 1-0 loss
• ‘We have to keep going for fourth place,’ said Benítez

Rafael Benítez cut a dejected figure as Liverpool’s Champions League ambitions suffered a serious setback with a 1-0 defeat at Wigan Athletic last night, though he mustered enough venom to condemn his players for the attitude and lack of character they displayed at the DW Stadium. “We didn’t show the right attitude and even though we worked harder in the second half, we played without game intelligence,” complained the Liverpool manager.

Wigan’s first ever league win over Liverpool has left the Anfield club in a precarious position. Hugo Rodallega’s first-half goal gave Roberto Martínez’s side a major fillip in their bid to avoid relegation, but Wigan’s emotions were in stark contrast to Benítez.

The Liverpool manager added: “We didn’t do anything in the first half. The attitude was much better in the second half but it wasn’t enough. It is difficult to explain because we prepared for the game properly. We knew Wigan would play in this way but there were too many things from us that I cannot understand.”

Liverpool had five players booked on the night and Steven Gerrard was pictured raising two fingers after he was shown a yellow card for a foul on the impressive 19-year-old, James McCarthy. Liverpool later denied the gesture was intended to be offensive or was directed at the match referee, Andre Marriner.

“We have to keep going for fourth place,” added Benítez, who had described this fixture as a must-win before kick-off. “That is all we can do. You can have good and bad times but we had to do better tonight on what was a crucial moment.”

LiverpoolRafael BenítezWigan AthleticPremier LeagueAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk