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Key events
Thank you very much for joining me.
Here is the wonderful Ed Aarons’ report.
Ogbene: “You can’t fault the effort. We are disappointed to not come away with three points against a very good Liverpool team but it shows how far we have come.
“We play dynamic football and want to get the crowd on our side. Chong took his moment really well.”
Chong: “I think when I scored that late goal we were really confident of winning but they have a lot of quality and scored the equaliser. I am very proud of team.
“We have grown every single game. We are still learning and want to improve. We will take this as a plus.
“We want to create an atmosphere that is difficult for every team that comes here.”
Liverpool had 24 shots but only six on target. Xg says they should have scored three.
Considering how Ross Barkley’s career has gone somewhat off the rails in recent times, it was good to see him put in a fine performance for Luton today. The risk of signing him on a free is paying off.
Klopp gives Diaz his biggest hug of the night before walking down the tunnel.
“A fair result,” says Simon McMahon. “Luton would’ve taken a point before the start. And Liverpool couldn’t really have expected to win wearing that strip.”
Rob Edwards will be annoyed but he is not showing it, wandering over to a young fan to sign an autograph.
All of Liverpool’s players are going over to Diaz to give him a hug.
Kabore almost won it for Luton at the end but Alisson blocked his shot at the near post.
Full time: Luton 1-1 Liverpool
Naturally, Luton will be heartbroken that they could not hold on for their first Premier League home win. They were impressive but that little bit of Liverpool quality at the end was enough and what a moment for Luis Diaz and his family.
90+7 mins: Apologies to all Luton fans for saying they were holding firm.
90+5 mins: It is another great cross from Elliott, which finds Diaz at the back post. He gets above Kabore to head home. He unveils a shirt saying ‘Libertad Para Papa’ – Freedom for dad.
GOAL! Luton 1-1 Liverpool (Diaz, 90+5 mins)
What a moment for Diaz as he heads home.
90+4 mins: Luton will be aiming to take the ball into the corner whenever they can.
Down the other end, Luton are holding firm inside their own box. Liverpool are chucking crosses in and they are being cleared.
90+2 mins: Adebayo wins a corner off Van Dijk. They do not send too many up for it. Doughty swings it in and Nunez heads out of the box. Osho collects and does some neat work to earn another corner.
90 mins: EIGHT MINUTES ADDED ON.
“So much for the angst of a Liverpool win being in an Evertonian’s best interest,” says Eric Peterson. “Seeing that goal go in felt like Ross Barkley, who drove the counterattack, was still wearing Goodison blue. Everton has 27 more games to take care of that prospective 12-point cushion. Liverpool is trailing at freaking Luton Town! In the Premier League!! Oh, I’m a happy boy.”
89 mins: Diaz looks to trick his way past Kabore but the defender holds firm and gets possession. For some reason, Tsimikas then fouls him in the corner. Kabore is now wasting as much time as possible.
88 mins: Elliott sends in another dangerous cross but there is no one there in a green/white shirt to meet it.
87 mins: Hugh Molloy says: “I think Team VAR realised they would’ve have been signing off on their collective P45s if they’d had disallowed that goal and given a Liverpool penalty. That was self preservation.”
86 mins: I think the final minutes will see Liverpool camped inside Luton’s defensive third.
They have another corner. Tsimikas send it in to Van Dijk but Luton clear at the second time of asking. The ball comes straight back into the box and Konate flicks towards the corner but it flashes inches wide.
84 mins: We get another look at the ‘handball’. Van Dijk heads it and the ball strikes Barkley but he is looking the other way. It would have been harsh.
Diaz is on for Gravenberch.
82 mins: Kenilworth Road is LOUD.
80 mins: Liverpool have a corner which Van Dijk heads towards goal. He – and all his colleagues – think it hits a hand but Luton clear and Barkley drives them up the pitch, before sending it out to Kabore on the right who sends in a delicious cross for Chong to slide home.
VAR checks the handball … THE GOAL STANDS!
GOAL! Luton 1-0 Liverpool (Chong, 80)
Luton break while Liverpool appeal for a penalty.
79 mins: Gravenberch turns just outside the area and takes aim for the top corner but Kaminski reads it well, diving to his left to push it behind.
Ogbene’s race is run and he is replaced by Brown. It looks like he might have damaged his hamstring.
78 mins: Liverpool break from the corner. Alexander-Arnold tries to pick out Nunez on the edge of the box but Doughty gets back and whacks clear.
There is a slight risk of Luton defending too deep now and inviting pressure.
76 mins: Doughty lifts a cross to Chong at the back post. He tries to control it but the ball gets way from him and Van Dijk puts it behind for a corner.
75 mins: Klopp is booked for moaning too much about the non-award of the penalty.
Adebayo is on for Morris.
74 mins: Liverpool have a corner on the left. Tsimikas sends it in and there are appeals for a penalty after Van Dijk is sent to the floor. There is going to be a VAR check for Mengi on Van Dijk but it is certainly not a penalty, just a little bit of grappling.
72 mins: Nunez is now just running around shouting at himself and rightly so.
He has a another go soon after as Salah is released down the right. He slips the ball into Nunez’s path and he violently strikes it towards goal but Kaminski reacts to push it clear.
70 mins: WHAT A MISS! A cross is lifted to Salah in the box; he heads across goal to Nunez at the back post who whacks the ball up and over from a couple of yards with the goal gaping. The assistant had the flag up to spare Nunez’s blushes but I think VAR would have reversed that decision had he scored.
69 mins: Elliott sends the ball into the box from the right to Gakpo who is in space six yards out but he gets ahead of the ball and attempts an awkward finish which goes wide.
67 mins: Elliott, Tsimikas and Gakpo on for Liverpool; Jota, Gomez and Szoboszlai off.
65 mins: Ogbene rips it up down the left, using his pace, power and skill to get past Alexander-Arnold. He gets into the box and pulls it back to Morris, via Van Dijk’s legs, but his shot is blocked by Alisson. What a chance for Luton.
63 mins: Carragher on co-commentary rightly points out the dreadful chanting from the Luton fans aimed at Liverpool supporters. There was a lot of praise for the Luton fans in the buildup to this and certain factions have let their club down there.
61 mins: Kabore is down for Luton holding his right leg after a challenge from Gomez. It is a fair tackle from Gomez. Liverpool, for some reason, kick the ball out of play. That’s far too nice for my liking.
Joe Pearson says: “Interesting stat, if I heard it right. The announcers on the USA feed said that Harvey Elliott is the only Liverpool player to have actually played at this ground before, when he was on loan to Blackburn Rovers in 2020. How ‘bout that!?”
I can believe it.
First Luton sub … Townsend off, Chong on.
59 mins: Jeff Sax emails: “Nunez not lost his touch … continues to miss.”
He’s looked pretty dangerous, to be fair, Jeff.
I say that just as he sends a pass straight out for a goal-kick.
57 mins: Kabore beats Mac Allister for speed down the right. He sends in two dangerous crosses in quick succession; the first is cleared by Konate and the second is grabbed by the goalkeeper. There are a few signs of promise for Luton here.
55 mins: Liverpool have a corner on the left. Szoboszlai takes it short to Mac Allister who miscontrols the ball, allowing Townsend to pounce. To make up for his error, the Liverpool man fouls Townsend and is booked for his failings.
53 mins: Ogbene receives the ball on the left, he cuts in and takes a shot from 25 yards but it lacks any degree of power.
51 mins: Barkley instigates a counter for Luton but it ends when Townsend is dispossessed on the right. It should be said that Barkley has had a really good game.
49 mins: There seem to be a lot of fireworks going off around Kenilworth Road.
47 mins: Nunez pings a cross straight out of play. Not much else to report.
“Never mind the footie and the match (which Liverpool will win by a skuzzie goal late in the game), let’s talk sartorials,” says Jeremy Boyce. “Was the person who “designed” Liverpool’s away strip under the age of 6, or on psychedelic mushrooms, or possibly both (heaven forfend !), or what ? Victory (Nike), possibly, but at what cost ?”
Simon McMahon is also unhappy about this kit. Maybe it’s just too jazzy for the modern era.
Second half
Here we go again!
Luton will want nothing to change, while Liverpool, I imagine, will be making a few tweaks in the hope they can find a goal.
Here is the report from the other Premier League match today.
Half time: Luton 0-0 Liverpool
Liverpool have had the majority of the possession but Luton have certainly been in the game. The Hatters, however, have Kaminski to thank for keeping the scores level.
45 mins: Two minutes added on.
44 mins: Yellow card for Nakamba after a very robust challenge on Mac Allister. It is an impressive lunge and the caution is deserved but nothing more.
42 mins: Doughty sends a low cross into the box, which Liverpool jab away to the edge of the box where Barkley is lurking for a first-time shot but he pings it well over.
40 mins: Konate decides to throw Morris to the ground on the halfway line after some lighthearted grappling. The free-kick allows Luton to get up the pitch but they lose the ball on the edge of the box.
38 mins: Mac Allister is rolling around on the ground after getting Barkley’s finger up the nose. He will be fine.
36 mins: Kabore needs to wander off the pitch, leaving Luton a man light for a corner. It is ping out to Alexander-Arnold to volley form the edge of the box but there are enough orange shirts to block the shot.
35 mins: Kabore needs some medical treatment because I think he might have something in his eye.
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