Wed. Dec 11th, 2024

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.

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Luis Diaz heads in a late equaliser for Liverpool against Luton after a traumatic few weeks for his family

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.

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Diaz came off the bench to equalise before revealing a ‘Freedom for Dad’ message under his shirt

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.

Team news

Luton made one change from the side beaten by Aston Villa last week, with Andros Townsend making his first Hatters start in place of Jacob Brown.
Liverpool welcomed Luis Diaz to the bench. The Colombian’s father is still missing after his kidnapping although there are suggestions he will be released soon. Joe Gomez replaced Kostas Tsimikas at left-back in their only starting XI change.

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.

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Darwin Nunez misses a glorious chance to give Liverpool the lead when it looked like it was easier for him to score

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.

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Tahith Chong finishes a rapid counter-attack to give Luton a shock 1-0 lead against Liverpool!

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.

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The post Luton 1-1 Liverpool: Luis Diaz scores late equaliser on Reds return to deny Hatters shock win appeared first on WorldNewsEra.

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