5 talking points as injury-hit Liverpool roar back to claim win against Luton

21 February 2024 , 21:26

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Liverpool roared back in the second half to win it (Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Liverpool produced a stirring second-half comeback to see off Luton and restore their four-point cushion at the top of the Premier League table.

Manchester City had moved to within a point with their 1-0 win over Brentford on Tuesday night and alarm bells were ringing for Jurgen Klopp's injury-hit side when they went in 1-0 down at the break. Luton took a shock lead after 12 minutes when Tahith Chong's shot squirmed through Caoimhin Kelleher's legs for Chiedozie Ogbene to head in at the back post.

Luis Diaz was on a one-man mission to find an equaliser, but it wouldn't come for Liverpool until a second-half turnaround. Virgil van Dijk powered in a header from Alexis Mac Allister's corner before Cody Gakpo converted another cross from the Argentina international minutes later to make it 2-1. Diaz then made up for his wayward first-half finishing by producing a lovely dummy and near-post effort to make the points safe.

Liverpool were well on top by the final whistle and Harvey Elliott added gloss to the result by finding the top corner from a loose ball late on. They will breathe a sigh of relief, with Klopp hoping to get some of his 11 injured players back before the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea on Sunday. Here are the talking points.

Alisson absence tells

Liverpool went behind after just 12 minutes (Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images)

Liverpool were missing 11 key players through injury – and the significance of that became obvious after 12 minutes when Luton took the lead. Chong’s effort was low and hard but should have been dealt with better by Kelleher, who succeeded only in deflecting it into the path of Ogbene at the back post.

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Kelleher has proven an able deputy to Alisson in the past, but the Brazilian’s reliability is unmatched in between the posts. He is so consistent that Liverpool fans – and players – have become accustomed to seeing him repel shots while one-on-one. It is impossible to know for sure, but many would back Alisson to have saved Chong’s effort.

Erratic Diaz comes good

Luis Diaz was all-action in the first half (PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

With Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota among the missing Liverpool players, it fell to Diaz to shoulder the attacking burden. The Colombian certainly looked up for it, peppering the Luton goal throughout the first half. The problem wasn’t his enthusiasm for the task, it was his accuracy.

Diaz was constantly the spark in the final third – attempting six of Liverpool’s 12 shots in the first half – but, in truth, none of them were particularly threatening. He curled wide after five minutes, forced Thomas Kaminski into a regulation save, put one wide from Wataru Endo’s chip over the top on the stretch, smashed a long-range effort over the bar and saw another chance from Ryan Gravenberch’s through ball disappear thanks to Teden Mengi’s intervention.

Squawka noted that he had more shots (six) and touches in the opposition box (10) than the entire Luton side (five and nine), but the Hatters held a 1-0 lead at the break. Diaz was not to be denied, though, charging through in the 71st minute to wrong-foot the defender and goalkeeper and make it 3-1. He could have had another just minutes later, but for Kaminski's strong hand.

Reds go double Dutch

Virgil van Dijk powered in a header to make it 1-1 (PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

As the hour-mark approached, it looked like it might be a frustrating night for Liverpool, who had Luton penned in but couldn’t find the killer blow. Then came two Alexis Mac Allister crosses and two headers from Netherlands internationals to change the score and the mood inside Anfield.

First Van Dijk lost Ogbene to power in a header from an out-swinging corner. Then Luton went to sleep from a throw-in, allowing Mac Allister to power in a cross for Gakpo to convert. It could – and perhaps should – have been 3-1 via a similar method minutes later, but Van Dijk could only get his shoulder to another corner and Kaminski saved. In many ways, it was indicative of Liverpool’s season. They were behind, with people beginning to question just how they are top of the league, and then they found a way to turn it around.

Luton's tough run

Rob Edwards has more important battles still left to fight (Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Luton started impressively at Anfield before fading in the closing stages. Ultimately their season will be defined by results in other games. Rob Edwards will hope not to be looking back on the 3-1 home defeat by Sheffield United on February 10 when the season ends, not their result at Anfield.

Unfortunately for them, it isn't going to get any easier. Luton's next match is against Manchester City in the FA Cup fifth round before they play Aston Villa in the league. March is kinder, bringing Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest in succession. They will take solace from their attack, which has seen them bang in 35 goals in 25 games - more than any other side in the bottom six (and the same number as sixth-placed Manchester United ). They remain level on 20 points with Everton and very much in the hunt for survival.

Mental strength to fight back

Jurgen Klopp has instilled a never-say-die mentality in his side (Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Liverpool's mentality under Klopp is a clear character trait which has got them out of many tight spots over the years. But as Andrew Beasley pointed out, they are not overly familiar with having to come from behind at half-time at Anfield.

Before Wednesday night, they have only been behind at half-time in a Premier League game at home on 15 occasions under the German coach. Of those, they had lost just three at the full-time whistle, all of which were in behind-closed-doors fixtures, with five wins and seven draws.

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Opta reports that Liverpool have now recovered 22 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season, more than any other side, and their joint-most in a single campaign in the competition (also 22 in 2008/09). That is some going.

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Felix Keith