Match reportLiverpool draw away at Luton after Luis Diaz scores injury-time equaliser

The Colombian stepped off the bench and headed in Harvey Elliott’s cross in the 95th minute to earn the Reds a point at Kenilworth Road.

The hosts had taken the lead in minute 80 when substitute Tahith Chong added the finishing touch to a counter-attack.

Team news

Joe Gomez, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah were the only players to keep their places in the starting XI following the Carabao Cup tie at AFC Bournemouth in midweek.

Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez (Tsimikas, 66), Mac Allister, Szoboszlai (Elliott, 66), Gravenberch (Diaz, 83), Jota (Gakpo, 66), Salah, Nunez.

Unused subs: Kelleher, Endo, Matip, Doak, Quansah.

First half

An open start saw both teams trade early blows, with Ross Barkley firing straight at Alisson Becker as Liverpool then tested Thomas Kaminski at the other end through Darwin Nunez.

Nunez was frustrated by the woodwork in the Reds’ next opportunity. Trent Alexander-Arnold curled a ball behind the Luton backline to find the Uruguayan, whose arrowed finish clipped the crossbar and went over after an excellent first touch.

Issa Kabore and Salah both fired over from inside the penalty area as the end-to-end nature of the contest continued.

Liverpool began to assert greater control as the half went on and a driving run from deep by Ryan Gravenberch led to Diogo Jota forcing a low save from Kaminski.

But it was Luton that had the final chance of the opening period, Barkley blazing over from the edge of the box after a cross was half-cleared.

Second half

There was little goalmouth action in the early phases of the second half, though Alisson had to be alert to claim Kabore’s low delivery from the right that was just out of the reach of the sliding Carlton Morris.

Alexander-Arnold fired over from distance before Luton crafted their best opening of the match up to that point.

Chiedozie Ogbene skipped past a pair of challenges and entered the box, with the ball eventually breaking to Morris, who was denied by Alisson from close range.

Two of the Reds’ substitutes quickly combined after being introduced, but Cody Gakpo’s acrobatic flick went just wide from an Elliott lift into the box.

Nunez was then unable to find the target inside the six-yard box after Salah headed a delivery from Alexander-Arnold back across goal. The striker forced a save from Kaminski following a breakaway a few moments later.

Kaminski then tipped behind a bending effort from Gravenberch – but Luton’s counter-attack from the resulting corner would lead to the opener.

Kabore was released down the right channel and managed to whip a ball into the box that was poked into the net by Chong.

But Liverpool’s perseverance after that setback saw Diaz rise above his defender at the back post and nod beyond Kaminski to make it 1-1.

Alisson ensured the Reds departed with a point when he palmed away an effort from Kabore in the final attack.