Diaz’s stoppage time strike helps Liverpool secure point against Luton
Luis Diaz scored an equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time as Liverpool denied Luton Town a first home win in the Premier League. Tahith Chong’s 80th-minute goal had Luton on course for an historic victory but substitute Diaz bundled in a far-post leveller and revealed a message of support to his family following […]
Liverpool players
Luis Diaz scored an equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time as Liverpool denied Luton Town a first home win in the Premier League.
Tahith Chong’s 80th-minute goal had Luton on course for an historic victory but substitute Diaz bundled in a far-post leveller and revealed a message of support to his family following recent reports of his father’s kidnapping in Colombia.
Diaz’s goal was Liverpool’s 24th and final shot of a fantastic match, with Darwin Nunez accounting for nine of Liverpool’s attempts, the most by any player in a match this season, and somehow missing a big chance from just three yards out.
Liverpool started on the front foot, with Nunez having four shots in the first 15 minutes, most notably seeing a long-range shot saved by Thomas Kaminski before striking the bar from inside the box following a terrific long pass by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Luton surrendered possession but were a regular threat on the counter-attack, with Issa Kabore firing over the bar after Chiedoze Ogbene surged away from Alexander-Arnold on the wing.
Mohamed Salah then blazed over himself from a decent position, before Kaminski brilliantly denied Diogo Jota at his near post as the match reached half-time goalless.
The first chance of the second half fell to Luton. Again, Ogbene beat Alexander-Arnold, running half the length of the pitch and beating another player before his pass ricocheted to Carlton Morris, who was thwarted by Alisson.
Liverpool then had a huge chance to break the deadlock in the 70th minute. Alexander-Arnold served up a huge opportunity for Salah but the Egyptian mistimed his close-range header. It inadvertently went to Nunez, who from just three yards out blazed over the bar.
The Reds continued to come forward and Kaminski saved from Nunez and Ryan Gravenberch, before Luton struck on the counter-attack.
Ross Barkley led a break from the edge of his own box and passed wide to Kabore, whose brilliant cross found Chong to finish low past Alisson for his first Premier League goal.
Liverpool threw everything at it in search of an equaliser and were relieved to see eight minutes of stoppage time, which they made count.
Harvey Elliott crossed to fellow substitute Diaz to head in at the back post and break Luton’s resistance.
It stops Luton from moving two points clear of the relegation zone, but does take them up to 17th place, above AFC Bournemouth on goal difference.
Liverpool miss the chance to go second but do leapfrog Arsenal into third, with 24 points, three behind leaders Manchester City. They will, however, be six points behind the leaders if Tottenham Hotspur beat Chelsea on Monday.