Twenty-four hours may only be the length of one day, but in football terms, it can be an awfully long time.

That is particularly true of a centre-forward that has gone that long without scoring a goal for either club or country - just ask Peter Crouch.

Having scored 16 goals for relegated Southampton, the striker completed a £7m move to Liverpool in the summer of 2005, signing a four-year contract at Anfield.

However, despite receiving praise for the level of his performances during the early part of his career on Merseyside, try as he might, Crouch struggled to find the back of the net.

It meant that when the 11th minute of Liverpool's home encounter against Wigan Athletic nine years ago today had passed, Crouch had gone the equivalent of an entire day (22 matches) without having converted an opportunity for Liverpool or England.

Yet the uncomfortable wait would be over just eight minutes later. It was by no means a clean goal from Crouch, who saw his effort enter the net via a deflection off Wigan defender Leighton Baines and a mistake by goalkeeper Mike Pollitt, who was originally credited with having scored an own goal. Later, though, Crouch would be registered as the scorer, much to relief of all those inside Anfield.

Playing as though the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders, Crouch went on to score his second goal in Liverpool colours three minutes before the break. He allowed Steve Finnan's long pass forward to bounce in front of him, before he lifted his shot over the advancing Pollitt and into the net.

The scoring was completed for the home side by Spanish playmaker Luis Garcia, who chested in Fernando Morientes's headed knockdown, but the afternoon belonged to Crouch.

"I'm really pleased because I was getting a bit of stick recently. It was a great team performance and it was good to get the three points," he told BBC Sport after the final whistle.

"To score was great, I'm pleased and I can move on now, hopefully. I am naturally buoyant and a happy person but at times it was getting me down but the goal has gone in and I can get on with things now."

Meanwhile, Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez said: "It was clear on the pitch what the goal meant, to see the players with him and the supporters also. I said before that the most important thing is that he continues to play well and the team continues winning.

"As a manager, the most important thing is trying to keep players playing well and scoring goals. It is not important if Crouch or other players score, but I think it is a relief to him."

Crouch went on to score 13 goals in all competitions for Liverpool that season - form which saw him included in the 2006 World Cup squad.

LIVERPOOL: Reina; Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Warnock; Garcia, Gerrard, Alonso (Hamann), Kewell (Riise); Crouch (Cisse), Morientes

WIGAN: Pollitt; Chimbonda, Henchoz, De Zeeuw (Jackson), Baines; Bullard, Kavanagh (Skoko), Francis (Connolly), McCulloch; Roberts, Camara