Luton Town 1-1 Liverpool: 5 hits and flops as Luis Diaz rescues a point for misfiring Reds | Premier League 2023-24
Liverpool earned a point at Kenilworth Road on Sunday (November 5), sealing a late draw away to Luton Town in the Premier League.
Luis Diaz equalized for the Reds in the 95th minute to avoid an embarrassing loss against the Premier League debutants.
The Merseyside giants were expected to cruise through this fixture, but were instead left frustrated by Luton's solid defensive showing. Luton stung their mighty visitors with a goal in the 80th minute, as former Manchester United forward Tahith Chong poked home from close range.
Liverpool were headed for a surprise loss, against a side that had won just one top-flight match so far, but Diaz came off the bench to save their bacon. The Colombian forward headed Harvey Elliott's cross home in the fifth minute of stoppage-time to make it 1-1 as Liverpool heaved a sigh of relief.
Nonetheless, that's two points dropped and the Reds are now three points behind leaders Manchester City, and two behind second-placed Tottenham Hotspur (who have a game in hand).
Luton Town climbed out of the relegation zone and now sit in 17th position.
Here are the hits and flops from the match:
Hit: Tahith Chong (Luton Town)
Former Manchester United player Tahith Chong opened his goal-scoring account for Luton Town with a crucial strike, and it couldn't have come on a better occasion.
The Tangerines had done a great job of keeping Liverpool at bay for a vast stretch of the game. But in the 80th minute, the hosts launched a brilliant counter-attack that resulted in Chong putting the ball into the back of the net.
Issa Kabore laid a cross for an onrushing Chong and the substitute poked it home comfortably to put his team in front. Although their night was ruined by Luis Diaz's late equalizer, the goal was crucial in earning a point for the beleaguered outfit, and boosting Chong's confidence too.
Flop: Liverpool
Although Liverpool managed to avoid an embarrassing loss against Luton Town with a late, late equalizer, but a point against a side that's won just once all season feels more like a loss.
This was a game that the Reds were supposed to breeze through. Instead, Luton, playing in the Premier League for the first time, gave them a tough run for their money, holding the fort with tremendous resolve.
Jurgen Klopp's side finished with 74% possession and a staggering 24 shots, exactly three times more than Luton. However, their usual ruthless efficiency was severely lacking here.
What should've been a three-pointer nearly ended in a defeat, and Jurgen Klopp's side walked away with a fortuitous point. The draw leaves them three points behind leaders Manchester City, who host them on November 25.
Hit: Luis Diaz (Liverpool)
For everything he's gone through in the last few weeks, Luis Diaz really needed this goal. Diaz's father, Luiz Manuel Diaz, and his mother, Cilenis Marulanda, were robbed at gunpoint back home in Colombia on 28 October. They were kidnapped and while his mother has been released, his father remains missing.
Tonight, he returned to Liverpool's squad and came off the bench to make a telling impact, heading home from close range in stoppage-time to earn a smash-and-grab point.
Havery Elliott floated a superb ball over the top for Diaz, who rose above Kabore to head it over Luton's goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski. He later lifted his shirt up in celebration, which had a message for his missing father.
Flop: Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
Probably the worst outing in a Liverpool shirt yet for Alexis Mac Allister, who looked like a pale shadow for himself at Kenilworth Road. The frantic nature of the clash clearly unnerved him, and he failed to find his composure as the game progressed.
The Argentine midfielder uncharacteristically lost the ball sloppily a few times, while looking off the pace when not in possession, as Luton breezed past him with relative ease in midfield.
Mac Allister also went into the books for bringing down Andros Townsend after Liverpool's own corner. On top of all this, Mac Allister was also left with a bruised eye by Chiedozie Ogbene.
All in all, an evening to forget.
Hit: Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town)
Luton Town put on a solid defensive showing in the match and kept Liverpool at bay for more than 90 minutes. One of the biggest factors behind that was their goalkeeper, Thomas Kraminski.
The Belgian custodian made five saves in the game, including a fabulous stop to deny Diogo Jota in the first half. His distribution wasn't necessarily the best, but he stepped up to the plate whenever the Tangerines needed him.