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What were you worried about, Liverpool fans? Jurgen Klopp’s team will remain top of the Premier League at least for a while longer after coming from behind to avoid a scare against Luton Town at Anfield.
A depleted Liverpool, with Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Darwin Núñez and Trent Alexander-Arnold among a host of notable figures absent through injury, restored their lead over Manchester City at the top of the table to four points thanks to a definitive 4-1 victory.
Chiedozie Ogbene had given Luton the lead, but two headed goals in the space of two minutes from Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo changed things, with Luis Díaz and Harvey Elliott making the result convincing.
Caoimhe O’Neill analyzes the main talking points from a thrilling Liverpool comeback.
Luis Díaz tries and tries again
On a night when Liverpool had Jota, Salah and Núñez absent, they needed one of their starting forwards to take over. Diaz, playing alongside Gakpo and Harvey Elliott, finally provided the necessary quality.
In the first half, Liverpool constantly looked for Diaz, who had a lot of space and was the most advanced player on the left wing, with Gakpo and Elliott operating much deeper.
But when opportunities presented themselves, the Colombian international found it difficult to be clinical. His first chance summed up the first 45 minutes: after an excellent ball over goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, Díaz was paralyzed in front of the goal and failed to take a shot.
At the end of a frustrating half, in which it was the opposing number 7, Ogbene, who showed composure to put Luton ahead, Diaz had one shot on goal, two shots blocked and three deflected.
Luis Díaz celebrates scoring – finally – against Luton (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Diaz had three chances in the first six minutes of the second half and if a goal was going to come, it looked like it would come from Liverpool’s left through his feet on Diaz. Not only did he get tired, but so did Luton.
Van Dijk may have made the breakthrough, but when another moment presented itself for Diaz, with Liverpool up 2-1, he took it in his stride. The 27-year-old ran to celebrate with his father Luis Manuel, jumping for joy in the stands.
How did Liverpool change things?
What is a captain’s goal if not the one Virgil van Dijk scored to tie Liverpool in the 56th minute?
Anfield felt like a completely different place as the second half progressed. Liverpool fans knew they had to support their team, which was losing 1-0. The noise was incessant before Van Dijk’s header and only got crazier when, 125 seconds later, Gakpo headed Liverpool ahead.
Alexis Mac Allister was instrumental in both goals. The Argentine assisted two headers in two minutes, the first on a corner from the right, the second on an instinctive shot on a Gakpo header from inside the area. Liverpool needed calm in the midst of chaos and Mac Allister poked his head over the deafening Anfield parapet to provide it.
Liverpool fans delight in Gakpo’s second goal (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
Liverpool released the brakes completely and flew towards Luton repeatedly. They finally got their reward with Diaz’s shot making it 3-1 before Elliott completed the game, with the hosts’ starting three forwards getting on the scoresheet.
It was as if Liverpool connected with the energy of the crowd and charged to a level that had been sadly lacking in the first half. After the break they played with style and freedom, but above all with aggression.
Anfield remains a fortress
After Diaz scored to give Liverpool a break, the Kop began chanting “Liverpool, leaders of the league.” They sang it again when Elliott fired into the top left corner in stoppage time to make it 4-1. It was a song the fans inside Anfield could have sung no matter the result, but dropping points at home the night after Manchester City won was not an option, and they knew it.
Luton have proven to be a tough customer many times this season and forced Liverpool to score a late equalizer to rescue a point in the second leg at Kenilworth Road in November. With Liverpool trailing 1-0 tonight, the concern about more dropped points became palpable.
Coming into the game, with 11 first team players absent, this game felt like a potential banana peel and Liverpool slipped a bit in a disappointing first half.
Harvey Elliott completes the scoring (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
But in the second half they imposed themselves strongly. The night began with the magnitude of the injury crisis facing the club, which showed not only in the five teenagers who started on the bench, but also in the fact that Liverpool had fielded their youngest starting eleven in the Premier League (25 years and 65 days on average) since then. February 2018.
However, in the end, Liverpool signed three of those teenagers (Bobby Clark, James McConnell and Jayden Danns, for their Liverpool debut) with the game already over, something many feared was not the case at all when they went losing on the scoreboard. break.
They are four points clear at the top of the table and have not lost a game at Anfield since losing to Real Madrid a year ago today.
Liverpool vs Luton match panel shows how Klopp’s team splashed Luton’s goal
What did Klopp say?
“It’s one of those nights where it’s going to be hard to stop talking about it. He just wants to get out of me.
“I’m so happy… The second half was a storm. Wow! We were undeniable. I love that”.
What’s next for Liverpool?
Sunday, February 25: Chelsea (Wembley), Carabao Cup final, 15:00 GMT, 10:00 ET
The first trophy of the season is at stake, in a repeat of the final of this competition two years ago, when Liverpool won 11-10 on penalties (Caoimhin Kelleher scored, Kepa Arrizabalaga did not) after two goalless hours. Most recently, the score was 4-1 for Klopp’s men when the two teams met at Anfield in late January.
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(Top photo: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)