The 2-0 win over Wigan, courtesy of Dirk Kuyt's double, means Liverpool are assured a top-four finish and need five points from the last three games to be virtually sure of third place.

They cruised to victory over struggling Wigan, whose manager Paul Jewell admitted he was more concerned with keeping the score down to protect his side's goal difference in the increasingly desperate battle to avoid the drop.

Wigan, desperate for something to aid their relegation fight, managed just one serious shot on target and never got close to bothering the Anfield men.

That surely will have disappointed their Jewell, a former Liverpool player, who saw his side surrender without a fight and drop closer to the bottom three.

Benitez risked the anger of relegation-fighting managers by leaving Steven Gerrard on the bench - the first time he has not started a Premier League game in a year - while also resting Javier Mascherano and Daniel Agger, with fit-again Craig Bellamy also a substitute.

But Gerrard's absence until the closing minutes was no hindrance to Liverpool's progress and Wigan's demise.

Wigan made four changes from the side that beat Middlesbrough in midweek, with Mohamed Sissoko left out of the 16, the selections clearly with Wednesday's Champions League semi-final at Chelsea in mind.

Struggling Wigan were no doubt happy to see Gerrard as a spectator, and made two changes from the side that drew 3-3 at home to Spurs last time out. Henri Camara was on the bench while Lee McCulloch was out with a foot injury.

Spurs' 95th-minute equaliser against Arsenal ahead of this Anfield clash gave Liverpool every incentive to cement themselves into third spot.

But with Bolo Zenden in a central midfield role, they looked weak in an area where Wigan packed their players. And Liverpool were presented with the predictable maze of blue shirts deep in their own half, with only Emile Heskey up front for Wigan.

The pedestrian opening saw Jamie Carragher booked for a trip on Leighton Baines as the full-back attempted to break away. Liverpool's stand-in Anfield skipper having been caught in possession by Heskey.

But Liverpool began to make in roads, John Arne Riise - on his 300th Liverpool game - fired wide and then saw a shot charged down, while Baines' sliding tackle stopped Peter Crouch in the act of shooting.

The slow tempo was just perfect for Wigan, they were able to muster their troops with ease, and Liverpool were sloppy in possession and constantly gave the ball away.

But after Baines had again intervened to stop Kuyt bursting through, the Dutchman's lack of pace again in evidence, the striker did get on the score sheet.

A 30th-minute cross from Jermaine Pennant on the left, saw Kuyt climb above Matt Jackson to head home, keeper John Filan being caught out having started to come for the catch before stopping.

Wigan sunk even deeper into their own half, and one instance saw Paul Scharner not prepared to cross the halfway line to contest a reasonable 50-50 with Carragher, such was the visitors' game plan.

Wigan sent on striker Camara at the break and took off Ryan Taylor, reverting to 4-4-2. It gave Liverpool that extra midfield space, and when Mark Gonzalez, Kuyt and Crouch combined in a flowing move, the Chile winger stabbed wide inside the six-yard box.

Kuyt then picked up possession 20 yards out and forced Filan into a plunging save, the ball spinning out in the area with no Liverpool player close enough to do anything about it.

But Liverpool were not trying to coast, and that was just an encouragement for Wigan to move forward. Still Liverpool wasted possession, and when Baines got down the left to fire in a cross, it took a strong intervention from Sami Hyypia to stop the ball reaching Heskey six yards out.

On 63 minutes Xabi Alonso was booked for tripping Kevin Kilbane, with Bellamy coming on for Crouch before the re-start. A minute later Caleb Folan replaced Heskey.

But on 68 minutes Bellamy's pace and drive forced the situation for Liverpool to score again. He scampered into the corner to take a Riise pass, turned and found Kuyt, who spun to place his second past Filan from 12 yards.

Wigan sent on Julius Agahowa for Denny Landzaat, and then Gerrard took over from Zenden with 20 minutes left.

Scharner was booked for tripping Riise, before Daniel Agger came on for Carragher on 73 minutes.

Bellamy's pace saw Arjan De Zeeuw booked for a clumsy tackle on the touchline.

Wigan's first serious chance came on 79 minutes when Folan saw a fierce header brilliantly saved by Jose Reina following a Josip Skoko free-kick.

But gaps were now appearing all over the pitch, and Filan had to save well from Kuyt and then Gonzalez. Wigan had long ago accepted the inevitable.

Benitez said after the game: "This was the ideal situation. We wanted a good game, a good result, to score a few and control the game.

"We wanted to rest some players like Steven Gerrard and we didn't want any injuries. In the end it was almost perfect.

"It was hard against a team playing that way, but the key was to keep possession, keep passing the ball at pace and find the gaps."

He added: "It was important with three games still to play to be sure of qualifying for the Champions League next season, and we have done that.

"We have been in the Champions League for the last three seasons and we want to make sure of it again.

"I think things are very positive for the club now that we are certain of being in the top four and the Champions League."

Jewell is only concerned with staying in the top flight, and he admitted he sent his side out to defend deep and try to avoid conceding too many goals.

And he hoped that his side could avoid a battering that would damage their hopes next weekend in the relegation face off with West Ham.

Jewell said: "We had a gameplan to frustrate Liverpool, and I suppose it wasn't very good to watch, but we gave a bad goal away and had to come out of our shell.

"But we are playing for big stakes. It could come down to goal difference for us down at the bottom and even at 2-0 I didn't want to open up because we could have been hammered and have four or five against us, and that could prove vital.

"We didn't have a shot in the first-half and I don't like playing that way to be honest, it has never been my style.

"But if you come to Anfield and try to attack Liverpool, with their quality, and at this stage of the season, you can get battered.

"It was always going to be difficult for us at a place like this, we wanted it to be a dead game. But we gave them the first one and that doesn't help, it's difficult enough as it is."

He added: "Liverpool strolled through the game, they were on top from start to finish so let's not try to kid ourselves.

"You cannot try to compete with Liverpool on a player-for-player basis, we have to play exceptionally well to get anything and they must play badly.

"They cruised it when they had the ball. It's 16 times we have played a top-four side since we got promotion and we still haven't had a win. They are not really in our league even though we are in the same division.

"It is all about playing West Ham next. They seem to be able to beat the best, Manchester United, Arsenal twice and now Everton.

"But their record against teams at the bottom is not too good so I hope that continues next week."