Luton Town 1 Liverpool 1
When The Hatters won promotion to the Premier League, these were the sorts of games they were dreaming of. Luton welcomed Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to Kenilworth Road, hoping for a major scalp that could kick-start their season.
On paper, this game should have been a simple win for the visitors, but football so often does not work that way. Rob Edwards’ side needed to treat this game like a cup tie and go for the giant-killing with their fans in full voice.
Ross Barkley, the ex-Evertonian, had the first shot of any note but it was a simple save for Alisson in the Liverpool goal. The effort got the home fans going and created an atmosphere in the tiny ground that big sides are not used to.
Darwin Nunez then picked the ball up on the left and cut inside onto his right foot and looked to bend one into the far corner but Kaminski was equal to it as he parried the ball behind for a corner. The Luton keeper would need to be on form for his side today.
Credit: @premierleague
Alexander-Arnold then played a sublime pass to Nunez, who controlled it on his thigh, before getting a shot away. Sadly for the visiting fans, as he does all too often, he tried to put his laces through it and saw his effort clip the top of the crossbar.
Many people are undecided on the Uruguayan’s ability, he just needs to add a more deft finish to his game as he is culpable of trying to break the back of the net more often than not. If only there were someone like Mohamed Salah for him to learn that skill from in training.
Diogo Jota was the next player to draw Kaminski into action and the Luton keeper got down well to keep out the Portuguese forward’s effort. It was great play from Ryan Gravenberch in the build up to set up the chance, it seems Klopp has got a real talent from Bayern Munich.
Edwards’ side were playing on the counter-attack and when a Liverpool move broke down, Ogbene did well down the right wing but his first cross was cleared by Konate and his second was well collected by keeper Alisson.
The Liverpool keeper was called into action again as Kabore unselfishly squared the ball to Morris as he saw Alisson approaching. The Hatters’ striker looked to hit it first time but the Brazilian stopper did well to get enough on it to deflect the effort wide.
Substitute Harvey Elliott was causing the hosts problems and his cross found Gakpo unmarked in the box but the young Dutch forward could not wrap his foot around it and his flick dropped just wide of the near post.
Credit: @LutonTown
Then came one of the misses of the season. Alexander-Arnold played a pinpoint cross to Salah on the back post who unselfishly headed it to Nunez. Unbelievably, when it looked easier to score, the striker blazed it over the bar with the ball rebounding off the roof of the stand behind the goal.
Salah then played it into the path of Nunez who thundered another shot towards goal but Kaminski was able to parry it clear once again. Liverpool were proving more wasteful than a backstreet recycling centre in front of goal.
Gravenberch was the next to test the Luton keeper but once again he kept the ball out. He was heading towards his first clean sheet in goals for The Hatters. Kaminski was proving to be a real thorn in the side of Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Liverpool were then caught out at their own game. As Alexander-Arnold’s corner was scrambled clear, Barkley broke and fed it to Kabore. His perfectly timed pass to the back post saw Tahith Chong slide in and put Luton Town ahead late on.
Kenilworth Road erupted as fans dreamt of their first Premier League win coming against Liverpool. They had been under the cosh for much of this game but had proved to be clinical when it mattered most.
Jurgen Klopp made a late change as he brought on Luis Diaz, hoping for some inspiration. Harvey Elliott clipped a cross into the back post, deep into added time, which was met by the head (or shoulder) of the Columbian as it looped into the top corner.
The away end erupted as Diaz lifted his top to show a t-shirt stating ‘libertad para papa’ which translates to ‘freedom for my father’ after his parents were kidnapped in Columbia more than a week ago.
It felt like defeat for Luton Town as they were so close to a huge scalp and left their fans feeling deflated. Credit where it is due to The Hatters’ players as they all consoled Diaz at the final whistle and wished him and his family a positive outcome to the situation.
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