Bellamy's away days have been as difficult as his team's. He arrived from a Cardiff court, having successfully defended an assault charge. Would his head be clear and ready for action at the JJB Stadium?
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, having watched Bellamy banging in the goals in Friday's training, decided to give him his chance. "He knew he needed to show that he is a good player," Benitez said. "Maybe his mind is clear now."
Bellamy returned to rattle in two early goals — the first in open play on the road for Liverpool this season. He had pace that Wigan could not handle. Not far behind him, directing the show from central midfield, was Steven Gerrard, who left the field to a standing ovation with 12 minutes to go and an outstanding victory assured.
Four goals underlined Liverpool's overwhelming superiority and brushed aside Wigan's pre-match optimism.
The outcome must have been painful for those Wigan men with Liverpool connections. Manager Paul Jewell, who hides his knowledge and ambition behind a gentle line in Scouse humour, was on Liverpool's books as a young man. Goalkeeper Chris Kirkland was tipped to be a regular England international when Liverpool signed him from Coventry, but he was jettisoned by Benitez. The enigmatic Emile Heskey was a record £5.5 million signing from Anfield.
They were all playing a lament last night. Jewell offered: "If we defend like that, we won't win any games between now and the end of the season."
Kirkland, who spent most of the interval on the pitch fielding shots, conceded all four goals in a torrid first half and Heskey laboured.
Liverpool's away form this season has been abysmal, with only one previous away goal — a penalty on the opening day in August at Sheffield United. Benitez has been criticised for using an exaggerated rotation system, and admits he has made mistakes, but said quietly here that his team's form had been promising a goal rush for several matches.
Bellamy's selection has never been more justified. He was alight from the beginning, scoring after nine and 26 minutes as Wigan were stretched right and left and through the middle.
The first goal demonstrated his electric pace. A long ball from the left-back position by John Arne Riise was mistakenly headed inside by Emmerson Boyce and Bellamy took it in his stride, eluding Matt Jackson to hit a right-footer beyond Kirkland.
Bellamy was becoming a constant torment, and when Gerrard prodded the ball into the space between Wigan's central defenders the forward was through the gap, making sure Kirkland had no chance of saving.
Wigan were looking at defeat well before the half-time break. They had a couple of chances, but Lee McCulloch skied the ball from three yards and Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina raced from goal to block Heskey.
Liverpool responded with a move that started when Reina rolled the ball out to Riise. It went through six pairs of feet without a Wigan player getting a sniff, and ended with Bellamy cutting the ball back for Dirk Kuyt to add the third.
Wigan's redoubtable spirit had ebbed and their complete destruction was clear shortly before the break, when Gerrard's low cross was deflected over his own line by McCulloch. Only the Liverpool fans could be heard. Lost Wigan causes sprang to mind.
Benitez could have sat back and luxuriated in the four-goal lead but he was continually darting to the touchline pointing and barking, making sure no one relaxed. Damage limitation may have been in Jewell's thoughts, and his players tried their best to respond while Liverpool made a couple of substitutions — Jermaine Pennant for Luis Garcia and Gabriel Paletta for Sami Hyypia, who appeared to be limping. Gerrard followed them as Benitez decided to protect three key players with a heavy programme ahead.
The reality was that Wigan lacked the pace, power and overall skill of Liverpool, who had Gerrard as the conductor of the entire match.
Wigan knew they had taken a battering, and when Heskey hit a post late on it summed up their miserable day.
As the final whistle approached, a defiant young Wigan fan twirled his old-fashioned wooden rattle. It was the loudest noise from the main stand all afternoon.