Liverpool 4 Luton 1: Injury-ravaged Reds hit four in second-half after shock Hatters opener to extend lead at top
WITH bare bones and big balls, Liverpool are crawling towards Wembley to complete the first leg of Jurgen Klopp’s farewell quadruple bid.
After trailing Luton for the second time this season, the injury-battered Premier League leaders roared back to secure a convincing win with second-half strikes from Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott.
Klopp’s men have now secured a remarkable 22 points from losing positions in 26 Premier League fixtures this season and they lead Manchester City by four points at the summit.
Rob Edwards’ relegation scrappers led for half of this match after an early opener from Chiedozie Ogbene.
But Klopp’s skeleton staff still managed to pull off another comeback to put their noses further in front in this compelling three-horse title race.
They managed to turn a deficit into a lead in the space of 125 seconds early in the second half.
Liverpool’s injury list ran into double figures as Klopp refused to risk either Darwin Nunez or Mo Salah before Sunday’s Carabao Cup Final against Chelsea.
With so many senior players missing, Van Dijk played a proper captain’s innings here – heading the equaliser, going close to adding a second and frequently charging upfield to put the frighteners on Luton.
The Hatters remain in the relegation places on goal difference but the way in which they keep unsettling the big boys suggests they might have the mettle to stay up – especially if rivals Nottingham Forest and Everton suffer further points deductions.
Liverpool’s injury problems are reaching epic proportions with Diogo Jota, Dominik Szoboslai, Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Thiago Alcantara, Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip also among the wounded.
HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
The majority of Klopp’s subs were teenagers as the strain of challenging on four fronts began to show.
Still, it was exactly a year since Liverpool had last tasted defeat at Anfield, in a 5-2 Champions League hiding from Real Madrid.
The Reds started well enough, pinning Luton back, as Diaz curled a shot narrowly wide and Gakpo sent an overhead kick straight at Thomas Kaminski.
But Luton were beginning to fancy their chances even before their early opener, with Alfie Doughty driving wide across goal from a Tahith Chong pass.
Then, on 12 minutes, the Hatters opened the scoring against Liverpool for the second time this season.
A Chong shot was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher at his near post but looped up for Ogbene to score with a soaring header, stunning The Kop into pin-drop silence.
It was the 12th Premier League match out of 26 in which Liverpool had fallen behind this season.
Normally, Klopp has the strength in depth to turn a match from the bench when needed but this time his options were thin.
On the half hour, Diaz stretched to scuff a volley wide from Wataru Endo’s scooped pass.
It was becoming frustrating for Liverpool. Kelleher was resorting to long balls, Jarrell Quansah was attempting to initiate attacks and the Hatters were on top in midfield.
Elliott, on his 100th appearance for Klopp’s side, was having a stinker – ballooning shots and overhitting passes.
Former Evertonian Ross Barkley was the most impressive midfielder on the pitch in the first half and ref Andy Madley was irritating the locals by failing to give them every 50-50 decision, as they are accustomed to.
Wing-back Ogbene was a frequent menace on the right and Luton were worthy of their half-time lead.
“Conference champions, you’ll never sing that,” chanted the Hatters fans, glorying in their unique climb from non-league to the Premier League and relishing their big night out at one of English football’s great cathedrals.
And soon Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, the player who has made every step of that journey from the depths, was arriving as a half-time sub in place of Albert Sambi Lokonga.
But then it all changed as Liverpool, attacking The Kop, launched a ferocious wave of attacks.
Diaz twice had close-range shots blocked, by Teden Mengi and Amari’i Bell – the latter surviving a VAR check for handball as he did so.
Then Kaminski made a brilliant stop at his near post to deny Gakpo after a defensive slip by Chong.
But from the resulting corner, Liverpool were level. Alexis Mac Allister swung in the centre and Van Dijk held off Ogbene and timed his running perfectly, stooping to thud home a header.
Suddenly the pressure on the Luton defence was irresistible and soon, Klopp’s side were in front.
Kaminski had stuck out a foot to deny Conor Bradley but the Northern Irish full-back was soon producing the throw-in from which Mac Allister delivered a powerful first-time cross for Gakpo to nod past the keeper.
The Luton keeper was seriously busy now, denying Gakpo with his feet, then making a sprawling save to keep out another Van Dijk header.
The third arrived on 71 minutes, sub Andy Robertson winning possession high up the field and feeding Diaz, who drove past Kaminski to seal the deal.
Elliott hammered the fourth in the 90th minute after an impressive work from Jayden Danns, making his Premier League debut as a sub.
However many players they lose, Liverpool keep finding more good ones.
And however many times they fall behind, they keep finding a way to win.
You can follow how the game unfolded in our live blow below