Luton Town 1-1 Liverpool: Luis Diaz ends emotional week with late Liverpool equaliser

Publish date: 2024-01-04

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 later issued a statement calling for those holding his father to release him "immediately".

The 26-year-old former Porto player had 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 1991.

Substitute Tahith Chong sparked wild celebrations among the home fans, who were eyeing a famous result after he steered in Issa Kabore's cross at the climax of a superb counter-attack with 10 minutes of the regulation 90 remaining.

Until Diaz denied Luton the win, Rob Edwards' well organised and athletic side 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.

Luton put Liverpool off their stride

Liverpool arrived in Bedfordshire 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 Liverpool's summer outlay on players was around £150m, Luton spent in the region of £20m reinforcing their squad after completing a lengthy journey back to the English top flight.

Relegated from the First Division the season before the Premier League was founded in 1992, they went on to spend five years as a non-league club.

However, there was little to choose between the sides at times, with Luton's greater endeavour nullifying their opponents' obvious quality on the ball.

The Reds enjoyed plenty of possession and had 24 shots, but 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 carved out 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.

The Brazilian keeper was unable to prevent Chong from finishing a move that started with a Liverpool corner, but Diaz was on hand to salvage a point for the Reds despite the ordeal he and his family are going through.

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Player of the match

ChongTahith Chong

with an average of 7.84

Luton Town

  • Squad number14Player nameChong

    Average rating

    7.84

  • Squad number7Player nameOgbene

    Average rating

    7.49

  • Squad number6Player nameBarkley

    Average rating

    7.42

  • Squad number24Player nameKaminski

    Average rating

    7.39

  • Squad number2Player nameOsho

    Average rating

    7.27

  • Squad number12Player nameKaboré

    Average rating

    7.27

  • Squad number13Player nameNakamba

    Average rating

    7.26

  • Squad number45Player nameDoughty

    Average rating

    7.25

  • Squad number19Player nameBrown

    Average rating

    7.25

  • Squad number9Player nameMorris

    Average rating

    7.16

  • Squad number30Player nameTownsend

    Average rating

    7.16

  • Squad number15Player nameMengi

    Average rating

    7.16

  • Squad number11Player nameAdebayo

    Average rating

    7.13

  • Squad number4Player nameLockyer

    Average rating

    7.13

    • Liverpool

  • Squad number7Player nameDíazAverage rating

    6.54

  • Squad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating

    5.94

  • Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating

    5.68

  • Squad number19Player nameElliottAverage rating

    5.56

  • Squad number5Player nameKonatéAverage rating

    5.43

  • Squad number38Player nameGravenberchAverage rating

    5.37

  • Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating

    5.28

  • Squad number8Player nameSzoboszlaiAverage rating

    5.22

  • Squad number10Player nameMac AllisterAverage rating

    5.16

  • Squad number2Player nameGomezAverage rating

    5.14

  • Squad number20Player nameDiogo JotaAverage rating

    5.08

  • Squad number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage rating

    4.93

  • Squad number9Player nameNúñezAverage rating

    4.75

  • Squad number21Player nameTsimikasAverage rating

    4.60

  • Squad number18Player nameGakpoAverage rating

    4.59

    • Line-ups

    Luton

    Formation 3-4-2-1

    24Kaminski

    15Mengi4Lockyer2Osho

    12Kaboré13Nakamba6Barkley45Doughty

    30Townsend7Ogbene

    9Morris

    Substitutes

    Liverpool

    Formation 4-3-3

    1Alisson

    66Alexander-Arnold5Konaté4van Dijk2Gomez

    38Gravenberch10Mac Allister8Szoboszlai

    11Salah9Núñez20Jota

    Substitutes

    Referee:Andy Madley

    Attendance:11,049

    Match Stats

    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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