Diaz grabs late and emotional Liverpool equaliser

5 months ago 68
Luis DiazLuis Diaz last played for Liverpool in the Premier League on 21 October

Luis Diaz came off the bench to salvage a point for Liverpool with a stoppage-time goal at Luton in his first match since his parents were kidnapped in Colombia.

Diaz's father remains missing, and the forward lifted his shirt to show a message of "freedom for papa" after heading in Harvey Elliott's cross five minutes into added time.

He last featured in a Liverpool squad 10 days ago, but manager Jurgen Klopp said before this match that Diaz "wanted to be part of the team".

His goal was a poignant and remarkable conclusion to a contest in which Luton had appeared on course for a deserved first league win of the season at Kenilworth Road and a first victory over the Reds since February 1991.

Reaction to Sunday's Premier League action

Substitute Tahith Chong had steered the hosts in front from Issa Kabore's cross after a superb counter-attack with 10 minutes of the regulation 90 remaining.

Rob Edwards' well organised and athletic side largely frustrated Liverpool, for whom Darwin Nunez had a day to forget in front of goal.

The Uruguay forward went closest to breaking the deadlock with a dipping first-half shot that clipped the Hatters' crossbar. He was unable to convert several other opportunities and glaringly blazed over after Mohamed Salah nodded the ball to him in the six-yard box.

The result leaves Klopp's side third in the table, three points behind leaders Manchester City, while Luton have climbed out of the bottom three to 17th due to their superior goal difference over Bournemouth.

Liverpool put off their stride by unfancied Luton

Liverpool arrived in Hertfordshire searching for their fifth consecutive win in all competitions, but only Diaz's late intervention spared them an embarrassing defeat against their unfancied opponents.

While the Reds enjoyed plenty of possession and had 24 shots, only six were on target and they appeared short of inspiration and efficiency in the final third until Elliott was introduced.

Had Diogo Jota stroked in an early chance it may have altered the complexion of the match, but he saw his hurried effort saved at the near post by Thomas Kaminski.

Only three of Nunez's nine efforts were on target, while Cody Gakpo flicked wide from another Elliott delivery from the right.

Klopp will also be concerned by the way Luton caught his team out at their own corner to score and carved out other openings, with Trent Alexander-Arnold struggling to contain Republic of Ireland winger Chiedozie Ogbene.

Ogbene surged past the England full-back during the first half to tee up Kabore and ghosted away from him and Ibrahima Konate in the second period to cut the ball back to Carlton Morris, who was denied by the onrushing Alisson.

Player of the match

ChongTahith Chong

with an average of 7.84

Luton Town

Squad number14Player nameChong

Squad number7Player nameOgbene

Squad number6Player nameBarkley

Squad number24Player nameKaminski

Squad number2Player nameOsho

Squad number12Player nameKaboré

Squad number13Player nameNakamba

Squad number45Player nameDoughty

Squad number19Player nameBrown

Squad number9Player nameMorris

Squad number30Player nameTownsend

Squad number15Player nameMengi

Squad number11Player nameAdebayo

Squad number4Player nameLockyer

Liverpool

Squad number7Player nameDíaz

Squad number1Player nameAlisson

Squad number4Player namevan Dijk

Squad number19Player nameElliott

Squad number5Player nameKonaté

Squad number38Player nameGravenberch

Squad number66Player nameAlexander-Arnold

Squad number8Player nameSzoboszlai

Squad number10Player nameMac Allister

Squad number2Player nameGomez

Squad number20Player nameDiogo Jota

Squad number11Player nameMohamed Salah

Squad number9Player nameNúñez

Squad number21Player nameTsimikas

Squad number18Player nameGakpo

Line-ups

Luton

Formation 3-4-2-1

24Kaminski15Mengi4Lockyer2Osho12Kaboré13NakambaBooked at 44mins6Barkley45Doughty30TownsendSubstituted forChongat 61'minutes7OgbeneSubstituted forBrownat 79'minutes9MorrisSubstituted forAdebayoat 75'minutes

Substitutes

11Adebayo14Chong17Mpanzu18Clark19Brown23Krul26Giles43Nelson47Luker

Liverpool

Formation 4-3-3

1Alisson66Alexander-Arnold5Konaté4van Dijk2GomezSubstituted forTsimikasat 67'minutes38GravenberchSubstituted forDíazat 83'minutes10Mac AllisterBooked at 54mins8SzoboszlaiSubstituted forElliottat 66'minutes11Salah9Núñez20JotaSubstituted forGakpoat 66'minutes

Substitutes

3Endo7Díaz18Gakpo19Elliott21Tsimikas32Matip50Doak62Kelleher78Quansah

Referee:Andy Madley

Attendance:11,049

Live Text

Match ends, Luton Town 1, Liverpool 1.

Second Half ends, Luton Town 1, Liverpool 1.

Attempt saved. Issa Kaboré (Luton Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

Hand ball by Tahith Chong (Luton Town).

Foul by Luis Díaz (Liverpool).

Tahith Chong (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Goal! Luton Town 1, Liverpool 1. Luis Díaz (Liverpool) with an attempt from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Harvey Elliott with a cross.

Offside, Luton Town. Jacob Brown tries a through ball, but Elijah Adebayo is caught offside.

Corner, Luton Town. Conceded by Alexis Mac Allister.

Corner, Luton Town. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Delay in match because of an injury Issa Kaboré (Luton Town).

Foul by Kostas Tsimikas (Liverpool).

Issa Kaboré (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Attempt missed. Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Kostas Tsimikas with a cross following a corner.

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Issa Kaboré.

Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Foul by Ross Barkley (Luton Town).

Foul by Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool).

Jacob Brown (Luton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.

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