Kieffer’s coming back for Moore
could have held a conversation with keeper Tim Krul without raising their voices.
Every now and again, Farke’s side threatened. Cantwell would pop up on the left, unmarked. Teemu Pukki would hold his run. The decisive moment never arrived. But it should have. It really should – 10 minutes before the interval.
A punt from the left-back slot looked to be over-hit. However, the ball was caught on the wind billowing around the stadium and held up long enough for Lukas Rupp to collect.
The German took the ball forward, unchecked by a Reds’ defence that had been caught on the hop, and drew Alisson.
Pukki was in support and Rupp, making just his third start since joining in the January transfer window from Hoffenheim, decided that allowing the club’s leading goalscorer to make his mark was the better option.
He played the short pass sidewards to his colleague. Unfortunately for Rupp, Alisson had second-guessed what he was going to do and stuck out a gloved hand, pawing the ball away from the striker’s feet as the Reds’ defenders scrambled to get back.
Seconds later, however, he produced a save that went a good way towards making this a meaningful encounter in the final quarter.
Mo Salah took a ball out of the swirling wind with supreme skill, twisted this way and that and halfconnected with a cross-shot that the Canaries keeper did well to keep out.
With Keita anticipating the rebound correctly, the ex-Newcastle man outdid himself with a block just a few yards out.
But from one break, down the left Alex Tettey miscontrolled but then decided to take the crowd up on their suggestion to shoot. His firm drive caught Alisson by surprise but the ball cannoned into the upright.
Five minutes later, Mane struck – and Liverpool march onwards.
KIEFFER MOORE reminded Cardiff City why they tried to buy him in January – and why Wales fans love him.
“Head of Heaven, six foot seven ... feed me ‘til I’m Kieffer Moore,” is what Wales fans sing about their hero from the Euro 2020 qualifiers – and here he gave Wigan more belief that they can still avoid the drop.
The striker scored twice to give the Latics a priceless point and check Cardiff’s promotion surge.
Bluebirds boss Neil Harris, though, felt his side were denied victory when a stoppage-time Curtis Nelson effort was disallowed.
By then, they had twice come from behind to level through Josh Murphy and an own goal by Wigan defender Kal Naismith.
“I thought it was a fair result, but Cardiff may have felt aggrieved because of the last decision,” said Wigan manager Paul Cook.
“We just keep going and believing in what we do. If we win games, we will stay in this division.”
Cardiff tried to buy Moore for £2.3million, but were told to come back with £4m. They never did and Cook added: “He’s massive for us. When he’s playing full pelt and scoring goals, he’s huge.”
Cardiff thought they had won it late on through Nelson, only for the referee to claim he had fouled the keeper.
Harris said: “I’ve seen an experienced keeper miss a punch.
“It has deflated a really good week for us – seven points but it should have been nine.”