Luton 1-1 Liverpool: Luis Diaz scores late equaliser on Reds return to deny Hatters shock win

Luis Diaz scored a late equaliser on an emotional return to the Liverpool team to deny a brilliant Luton side a memorable Premier League win.

Back in the Liverpool squad for the first time since his father was kidnapped in Colombia, Diaz came off the bench to head home Harvey Elliott’s cross late on – before revealing a ‘Libertad Para Papa’ (Freedom for Dad) message underneath his shirt. The winger’s father remains missing.

Luton thought they had the three points when former Manchester United midfielder Tahith Chong tapped home past Alisson on the counterattack after good work from Issa Kabore – as Liverpool players complained for a handball by Ross Barkley from their own corner.

The much-discussed VAR stuck with the Luton goal as a bouncing Kenilworth Road celebrated.

Before Luton’s opener, Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez produced one of the misses of the season as he blazed over from a few yards out following Mohamed Salah’s header across goal. Nunez also hit the post in the first half for Jurgen Klopp’s wasteful side – who produced 3.04 xG on Sunday night but only scored late on.

The result means Liverpool missed the chance to go up to second in the table, while the point lifts Luton out of the relegation zone.

How Luton and Liverpool share the spoils

A blistering start at Kenilworth Road began in quick fashion for Liverpool, with Diogo Jota stopped from tapping in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross by a superb clearance by Teden Mengi.

At the other end, former Everton midfielder Barkley then fired at Alisson before Nunez got involved with two efforts – one saved by Thomas Kaminski and another harmlessly fired over. But then came his big moment.

Alexander-Arnold unlocked a deep Luton backline with a superb long ball to Nunez in the area, but the Uruguay forward could only smack the crossbar after taking it down well.

Then came Luton’s moment of the first half, with Chiedozie Ogbene’s cross for the left finding Issa Kabore inside the box but he fired over the bar.

Mohamed Salah spurned a good chance from the edge of the area after Luton had cleared Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick when he blasted over – and the Liverpool missed chances tally kept creeping up as Nunez headed the Egyptian’s cross over.

Jota then forced Kaminski into a smart near-post save from inside the area, while Barkley rounded off a first half filled with chances by firing over from 25 yards when found in a good area.

Luton started the second period strongly with Alfie Doughty firing straight at Alisson, before strong interventions from Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate denied Carlton Morris a tap-in on the break from Kabore’s cross.

The Hatters then had a glorious chance when Ogbene went on a slalom run through the Liverpool right before unselfishly squaring to Morris, who was denied by Alisson.

Then came Nunez’s sitter. Salah headed a long ball into the box across the face of goal but he somehow could not find the finish.

That move proved costly as Luton took the lead – from a Liverpool corner. Van Dijk headed the set piece goalwards and complained for a penalty after it struck the back of Barkley’s arm. Then Luton broke through Kabore, who squared to Chong in the middle, who could not miss.

Klopp then threw Diaz on in hope of an equaliser, while Luton kept on throwing players back. The home side limited Liverpool to few chances in stoppage time, until Diaz popped up in the 95th minute to make it honours even.

What’s next?

Luton’s next game is a trip to troubled Manchester United on November 11, kick-off 3pm. They then have a two-week gap over the international break before Crystal Palace visit Kenilworth Road on November 25, kick-off 3pm.

Liverpool return to the Europa League on Thursday with a trip to Toulouse which could see them top their group, kick-off 5.45pm. They then host Brentford in the Premier League on November 12, kick-off 2pm.