Liverpool fans, what’s bothering you? Jurgen Klopp’s side will remain top of the Premier League for at least a little while after coming from behind to avoid a scare against Luton Town at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Trent Alexander-Arnold among the leading lights lost to injury, a weakened Liverpool reduced their lead to four points at Manchester City. A 4-1 overall win in the end.
Chidzie Ogbene put Luton ahead but two goals from Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo within two minutes before Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott sealed the result.
Caoimhe O’Neill breaks down the main talking points of Liverpool’s sensational comeback.
Luis Diaz tried and tried again
On a night when Jota, Salah and Nunez were missing, Liverpool needed one of their first strikers to pick up the slack. Diaz, playing alongside Gakpo and Harvey Elliott, finally provided the necessary quality.
In the first half, Liverpool were constantly looking for Diaz, who had plenty of space and was a left-wing forward, with both Gakpo and Elliott working deep.
But the Colombian international has found it difficult to be clinical when opportunities fail. His first chance wrapped up the first 45 minutes, when Diaz’s cross over the top of goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was left in front of goal and he couldn’t find the ball.
At the end of a tense half – in which the opposition number 7, Ogbene – Diaz, who showed composure to lead Luton into the lead, had one shot on target, two shots blocked and three on target.
Luis Diaz celebrates scoring – finally – against Luton (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Diaz had three chances in the first 6 minutes of the second half and if a goal was to come, Diaz’s foot felt on Liverpool’s left side. Not only did he tire himself, but Luton as well.
Van Dijk may have made the breakthrough but another minute when he presented himself to Diaz, he took it in stride as Liverpool won 2-1. The 27-year-old ran to celebrate with his father, Luis Manuel, while standing up and jumping for joy.
How did Liverpool turn things around?
If not Virgil van Dijk’s 56th-minute equalizer for Liverpool, what is the captain’s goal?
As the second half began, Anfield felt like a completely different place. Liverpool fans knew they had to bounce back when they won 1-0. The noise was constant before Van Dijk’s header and what made it even more maddened was Gakpo’s header to give Liverpool the lead 125 seconds later.
Alexis McAllister was crucial to both goals. The Argentinian scored two headers in two minutes, the first from the right corner and the second was an instinctive strike that Gakpo headed inside. Liverpool needed calm in the chaos and McAllister headed over the deafening Anfield parapet to make himself available.
Liverpool fans celebrate Gakpo’s second goal (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
Liverpool put the brakes on completely and flew at Luton again and again. They finally got their reward with a 3-1 win from Diaz’s finish before Elliott finished things off.
It was as if Liverpool had bought into the energy of the crowd and raised themselves to a level that was woefully missing in the first half. After the break, they played with poise and freedom, but above all, aggression.
Anfield remains a stronghold.
After Diaz scored to give Liverpool some breathing room, the Kop started chanting “Liverpool top of the league”. They sang it again when Elliott fired into the top left corner in the dying minutes to make it 4-1. It was a song the fans at Anfield could have sung regardless of the result, but dropping points at home after Manchester City’s win was not an option – and they knew it.
Luton have often proved tricky customers this season and forced Liverpool to score a late equalizer to salvage a point in the reverse fixture at Kenilworth Road in November. With Liverpool winning 1-0 tonight, the stress of dropping so many points became apparent.
Going into the game, without 11 first-team players, this game felt like a banana skin and Liverpool slipped a bit in an impressive first half.
Harvey Elliott wins the award (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
But in the second half, they won with strength. The night began with the extent of the injury crisis facing the club not only with five youngsters starting on the bench, but Liverpool fielding the youngest 11 in the Premier League (average age 25 years and 65 days). February 2018
But in the end, Liverpool brought in three of these teenagers – Bobby Clarke, James McConnell and Jayden Dance – to make their Liverpool debuts – and the game was already over, breaking what many had feared as they watched the tournament.
They sit 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.
Liverpool vs Luton match dashboard shows how Klopp’s side peppered Luton’s goal
What did Klopp say?
“It’s one of those nights when it’s hard to stop talking about it. He just wants out of me.
“I’m very happy… the second half was thunderous. Wow! We were undeniable. i like this.”
What about next to Liverpool?
Sunday, February 25: Chelsea (Wembley), Carabao Cup Final, 3pm GMT, 10am ET
The first trophy of the season was a repeat of the final two years ago – Liverpool won 11-10 on penalties (Caoimhin Kelleher scored, Kepa Arrizabalaga missed) after two hours. It was 4-1 to Klopp’s men most recently when the teams met at Anfield at the end of January.
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(Top photo: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)