THERE are Agger-dos and Agger-don’ts. We saw both.

Wigan went 1-0 up because of a mistake by Daniel Agger which was so bad that to call it a schoolboy error would libel PE teachers everywhere. Yet Liverpool drew level following a piece of play where Agger was like a Danish Franz Beckenbauer.

The whole game followed this rollercoaster trajectory. When it came to rest, Liverpool were in possession of the points because of another comeback and two late goals scored in front of the Kop. How many more times can this happen this season? “I will talk to my doctor and see,” said Rafa Benitez.

The decisive goal came from Dirk Kuyt who, having gone 11 months without registering in the Premier League, has now scored winners in successive games. It was a spectacular bicycle kick which on any other day would have been the strike of the match but it wasn’t even the game’s best scissors kick.

That came from Amr Zaki who, like Kuyt, scored twice and gave a performance his manager Steve Bruce described as “absolutely scary”. It is rumoured Liverpool want Emile Heskey back but on this evidence they could be looking at the wrong Wigan striker.

Zaki went to the top of the league’s scoring charts with seven and perhaps only Thierry Henry has given Jamie Carragher such a difficult afternoon. When Wigan took him from Zamalek on a one-year loan they arranged an option when his stay comes to an end to sign him permanently for £6m.

But it is only a gentleman’s agreement and is certain to be tested by bigger clubs. Zaki underlines the hugely impressive job done by Bruce, bringing shrewd signings and a buccaneering spirit to his team.

Having Zaki supported by Daniel De Ridder and Olivier Kapo in a three-man forward line was adventurous enough, placing Antonio Valencia in central midfield was boldness, pure and true. Liverpool, subsumed by waves of early counter-attacks, were lucky to survive and may well have lost the match had Alan Wiley, the referee, not been ultra-punitive towards Valencia in sending off the Ecuadori-an.

Valencia was booked for encroaching as Alonso rolled a free kick to Steven Gerrard, who was not at his thrusting best, but Bruce argued that while his player left the wall before it was taken, his was a sideways movement: Valencia only went towards the ball after it was struck. His second caution was for a tackle on Alonso where, though his feet left the ground, he appeared to make contact with the ball.

“We feel harshly treated by the ref because to come to Liverpool and get a result you need respect – I keep hearing that word [in connection to referees] – and I didn’t see any today,” Bruce said.

“The decision changed the game.” So it did. Liverpool had been labouring at 2-1 down and six minutes after Valencia’s dismissal the equaliser came. Albert found Nabil El Zhar and when the substitute played a return pass following a twinkling run, Riera shot low past Chris Kirkland from 18 yards. Wigan, their South Americans jet-lagged after returning from midweek internationals, looked exhausted and a Liverpool winner was inevitable.

Jermaine Pennant, for once getting a cross in, picked out Kuyt who went airborne to volley home, Kirkland getting vain fingers on the ball after it bounced in front of him. The goal Zaki scored just before the interval to make it 2-1 to Wigan was even better. Valencia crossed and the Egyptian, performing acrobatics, thrashed a volley home.

Zaki’s first goal? Let’s just say it was the most enticing gift involving an Egyptian since Amanda Barrie rolled out of a carpet to present herself to Sid James in Carry On Cleo. Agger was on the edge of his box and caught dreaming when goalkeeper Pepe Reina rolled him the ball and following a clumsy first touch, Agger made the idiotic decision to try and dribble past Zaki. He was tackled. Zaki scored easily.

Agger’s reaction, however, was the mark of a strong character. He began demanding the ball and looking to affect the game positively. From his own half, the Dane went on a 50-yard run, took a return pass from Andrea Dossena, beat Lee Cattermole and drove into Wigan’s box before squaring for Kuyt to score.

Liverpool are joint top with Chelsea but could do with learning to win more straightforwardly than this to continue a challenge for the title, if not for the health of their manager.

“The whole side showed great character to come back like that again,” said Benitez. “We did something similar at Manchester City a fortnight ago, and maybe I would like a calmer time on the bench. It would be nice to have three or four goals at the break for a change.

“But I felt we won it because we have belief in ourselves, and believe that we can win these games. It is a positive situation for us that we have this level of confidence.”

LIVERPOOL: Reina 7, Dossena 4 (El Zhar 78min), Agger 6, Carragher 6, Arbeloa 5 (Benayoun 79min), Alonso 7, Gerrard 6, Pennant 5, Riera 7, Keane 6 (Hyypia 90min), Kuyt 8

WIGAN: Kirkland 6, Melchiot 7, Scharner 6, Bramble 6, Figueroa 6, Cattermole 6, Valencia 7, Palacios 6 (Koumas 90min), Kapo 7 (Brown 82min), Zaki 9, De Ridder 6 (Kilbane 79min)