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.
Updated
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.
Updated
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.
Updated
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.
Updated
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.
Updated
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.
Updated
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.
34 mins: Gravenberch plays a smart pass to Jota inside the area. The Portuguese forward has a little space and takes aim for the bottom corner but Kaminski reacts superbly to get down to his right and palm the ball away.
32 mins: I’ve seen Ogbene a few times for Luton and Ireland. He looks a very exciting player on the winger, full of speed and knows how to use it to his advantage. You see so many wingers who are fast but can’t utilise said speed properly.
30 mins: The stats suggest Liverpool have enjoyed 71% possession, which seems fair enough. They just need to be a little bit more incisive against Luton’s low block.
28 mins: Richard McGahey emails: “Luton not packing the box every time, sometimes putting pressure higher up, varying what they do which can complicate things for Liverpool. But when they don’t pack it back, Salah is torching them down the side.”
26 mins: Kabore sends a throw-in down the line but it goes straight out of play.
Liverpool are starting to play a bit quicker and are causing a few more problems for Luton with their passing and movement.
24 mins: Tom Lockyer gets down to tie his shoelaces and is warned about timewasting. It’s good stuff.
Salah lifts a cross to Nunez in the box but the Uruguayan gets underneath the ball and sends a looping header into the stands.
“Not sure I share Richard Hirst”s optimism as far as Liverpool are concerned,” says Richard Harris. “Decent starting XI for sure but only Diaz and Matip strike me as players who can be relied on to come on and change the game.
“Van Dijk is beginning to creak a bit IMO so this is not the Liverpool that won the title or took City to the wire a couple of times. If City are to be denied then it will because teams like Arsenal and Spurs can beat them and other PL sides have one of those days against the best team in the world.”
22 mins: Liverpool get a free-kick to the left of the area. Szoboszlai clips it in but Mengi gets his head to it. The clearance only makes it as far as Salah who, uncharacteristically, whacks a half-volley well over the bar.
20 mins: Doughty whips in the free-kick but it hits Lockyer on the back of the head and goes out for a throw.
Peter Oh emails: “Thanks for sharing the Ian Broudie sighting (12 mins)! I reckon if Luton spring a surprise today, they’ll be in Cloudcuckooland. But it’s more likely that they’ll be undone by some Pure Liverpool finishing.
“Pure and simple every time.”
I am sure John Brewin is a huge Broudie fan.
18 mins: There are 10 orange shirts within 30 yards of the Luton goal as they look to keep Liverpool at bay. The system works and they break through Ogbene, who forces Konate to foul him.
16 mins: Ogbene glides past Alexander-Arnold on the left wing and chips a cross to the back post via Konate’s head, eventually reaching Kabore but his shot is wayward.
Nunez has a trademark shot, which is cutting in from the left and aiming for the far post. His latest effort is a good one but Kaminski reads it and palms to safety.
Updated
14 mins: Alexander-Arnold is back out on the right and slings a beautiful curling pass over the Luton defence for Nunez to chase. He takes a touch and whacks a powerful shot from 10 yards but it pings off the top of the bar and into the stand.
12 mins: Liverpool are dominating possession, helped by Alexander-Arnold drifting into central midfield to add an extra man.
Ian Broudie from the Lightning Seeds is in the crowd. Fair play to the cameraman who spotted him.
10 mins: Barkley loses control of the ball and does the classic thing to make up for it by fouling Jota but Liverpool are allowed to play on. It does not help much as Nunez pings a shot over.
Updated
8 mins: Van Dijk half clears a cross straight to Morris, he takes a touch and looks to curl a shot at goal but it does not make the distance thanks to a defensive block.
Luton are getting into this a little. I say this as Konate dribbles the ball about 60 yards up the pitch, only to be stopped (just about) legally on the edge of the Luton box.
6 mins: A throw is taken to Barkley on the left, he cuts inside and drives a shot towards goal from the edge of the box but it is straight at Alisson.
Nunez does similar down the end but takes aim for the far post and Kaminski pushes it wide.
Richard Hirst suggests: “The quality of the Liverpool bench suggests Man City are going to be taken all the way this season (and yes, I did mean to pass over Spurs and Arsenal).”
4 mins: A lovely Alexander-Arnold cross is well defended by Mengi to prevent Jota tapping home at the far post.
Mengi went to the same east Manchester school that I did. Good to use this tedious fact so early on.
2 mins: Liverpool have enjoyed pretty much all of the early possession without any threat. I have enjoyed the camera being on top of the near touchline.
“Good morning from Pittsburgh!” Good morning Eric Peterson. “Sundays are usually a day to decompress from the stress of being an Everton fan - at least, until one sees a preamble that mentions the source of Luton’s only win of the season (I know you’re just doing your job, Will). I now embark on 90 minutes of guilty angst knowing that a Liverpool win would keep Everton six points clear of the relegation zone - in other words, halfway toward the margin needed to overcome the 12-point deduction that very well may be in Everton’s future. I need a nap.”
I provide a service, a very irritating service.
Kick-off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
The players are out on the pitch and Kenilworth Road is bouncing.
“Watching the buildup to the match on USA Network,” says Joe Pearson. “Wow, those Luton warmups are something!”
They’re a jazzy outfit.
Dean Kinsella emails: “Gotta say that I like the look of this Liverpool team. There’s potentially a lot of goals up front, the midfield look solid as a rock and those are very good defenders who are coming back from a bit of a dip last season (largely due to weak defensive midfield cover). Defo a top 4 probabilty this season.”
Edwards: “I haven’t slept much preparing for this. It is a magnificent game for us, a great occasion for the supporters. It is a bigger game than any we’ve had this season.
“We hope the crowd is factor. It is tight, it can be intimidating. Home performances have been good and I think we should have had a few more points here.”
Klopp on Luis Diaz: “It is very emotional but Luis decided three days he wanted to come training. The training ground is a safe place for the boys. He can come in and forget things for a few hours. The situation is positive, as I understand, talks are ongoing but it seems positive. On the training ground he was fine and that’s why it is here.”
On the ground: “The pitch is more than good but the dressing room is like a camp for Mount Everest. We just need a room to change, it does not need to be a five star hotel. Some had to change in the hotel but that’s all fine.”
Updated
A win for Liverpool today would send them to second in the table, as Tottenham are playing against Chelsea on Monday.
Curtis Jones misses out over a fitness issue and is not risked.
Luton’s midfield are in for a tricky afternoon. The Liverpool trio of Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai are a pretty exciting combination to watch.
Andros Townsend starts a competitve match for the first time in 18 months! I did suggest this should happen in ‘Things to look out for this weekend’, so I will celebrate my genius.
Luis Diaz returns to the Liverpool squad following the kidnap of his father in Colombia.
Updated
Starting lineups
Luton: Kaminski, Kabore, Osho, Lockyer, Mengi, Doughty, Nakamba, Ogbene, Barkley, Morris, Townsend.
Subs: Krul, Adebayo, Chong, Mpanzu, Clark, Brown, Giles, Nelson, Luker.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Gomez, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Salah, Jota, Nunez.
Subs: Kelleher, Endo, Diaz, Gakpo, Elliott, Tsimikas, Matip, Doak, Quansah.
Preamble
It’s been so long since Luton beat Liverpool at Kenilworth Road that they were playing on the infamous artificial surface. Iain Dowie scored twice that day in a 3-1 win back in 1991 24 hours after Kenny Dalglish’s resignation.
Luton are looking to secure their first-ever Premier League home win but welcome an in-form Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s side have only lost once all season and that was at Tottenham where Mr VAR an appalling day.
All I will ever associate with this fixture is Xabi Alonso scoring from the halfway line, so hopefully we will someone trying to replicate that today.
The good news for Luton is they secured their only victory of the season over a team from Merseyside when they defeated Everton at Goodison Park. I think this theory is clutching at straws slightly but I am just trying to help.
Let’s hope for a cracker.
Kick-off: 4.30pm GMT
