Liverpool recover from early setback to stretch lead at top
WRAPPING UP THE POINTS: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott (right) celebrates scoring their side's fourth goal of the game. Pic: Peter Byrne, PA Wire.
THE Premier League title race that just keeps on giving did just that at Anfield on Wednesday night, after Chiedozie Ogbene had headed his Luton side ahead early on before Liverpool turned the scoreline around in the second half.
Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher produced an unconvincing save that deflected towards Ogbene, which allowed his international teammate and fellow Cork man to head Luton into a surprise lead, sparking dreams of a first-ever win there for their travelling fans.
It would also have prompted wild celebrations in the blue half of Manchester and red part of North London, leaving both City and Arsenal with the chance to go top of the table at the weekend.
But a Liverpool side badly depleted by injury and, whether they would admit it or not, surely with thoughts on a weekend cup final, stormed back with three goals in 15 second half minutes, for Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Louis Diaz.
Harvey Elliott wrapped it all up in injury-time, sweeping a loose ball into an empty net after Gakpo’s progress had been halted by Teden Mengi.
The equaliser, on 56 minutes, started the recovery as van Dijk slipped two markers with brutal efficiency before heading in Alexis Mac Allister’s right-wing corner from seven yards.
Barely 90 seconds later and the points looked as good as secured as Conor Bradley’s quick throw-in found Mac Allister who delivered another perfect cross, this one headed in by Gakpo from four yards.
And, as Luton pressed gamely for an equaliser, substitute Andy Robertson won a loose ball in midfield after 71 minutes, forcing it forward for Diaz to exploit a stretched Luton defence and bury his team’s third.
Kelleher’s shaky moment had come after 12 minutes, as he tried to deal with Tahith Chong’s driven near-post shot, which should have been dealt with in routine fashion by the Liverpool keeper but which squirmed through his body and towards the far post.
There, Ogbene was unmarked and had the simple task of stooping to head the ball into the vacant Liverpool net.
The opener stunned Anfield, which had seen their team made a committed start to the evening, despite the pre-match doom and gloom over an injury list which deprived Klopp of 10 first-team players last night.
Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez were the two big misses, certainly in an attacking sense, although Klopp was insistent there was no suggestion of him leaving either out with an eye on Sunday’s EFL Cup final with Chelsea.
The lack of potential goals was a concern but Klopp had been equally adamant before the game that there could be no excuses or self-pity because of the ill-timed injury crisis.
And the message certainly got through to his players who started the game with plenty of gusto, Diaz and Gakpo both missing some early opportunities before the Luton goal deflated the hosts for a time.
By the end of the first half, Liverpool had regained their composure and momentum although, still, that elusive equaliser proved beyond them.
Wataru Endo’s far-post cross was narrowly missed by Diaz, Ryan Gravenberch shot straight at Thomas Kaminski and Diaz shot over before the interval while, after it, Liverpool stepped up a gear or three.
In quick succession, Diaz had a shot blocked and a penalty appeal turned down after his shot struck Gabriel Osho’s back.
A Gakpo effort was well kept out by Kaminski, again, but the pressure was building and the inevitable duly arrived with the quickfire goals that ensured Liverpool will retain top spot beyond the weekend, at least.
In between the first two goals, there might have been another for the hosts, with the keeper saving well from right-back Bradley, and Klopp’s men continued in their insatiable quest for goals, even after taking the lead.
Gakpo’s shot was stopped at the near-post by an increasingly shellshocked Kaminski, before he made an even better stop to deny van Dijk a second headed goal. Liverpool could quite easily have scored five goals in four minutes.
To their credit, and Luton are getting plenty of it despite their considerable relegation concerns, they still believed themselves capable of an equaliser and, after Ross Barkley’s through ball put in Alfie Doughty, his shot took a wicked deflection off Jarell Quansah and drifted just beyond the far post.
The march was largely incessant and Kaminski had to make two more saves, from Diaz and Elliott, to ensure his side did not suffer even more damage in the goal difference column as they continue their survival bid.
Kelleher 5; Bradley 7 (Robertson 68, 7), Quansah 7, van Dijk 7, Gomez 7; Mac Allister 8 (McConnell 88), Endo 7, Gravenberch 7 (B Clark 78, 6); Elliott 7, Diaz 7 (Danns 88), Gakpo 7. Substitutes (not used) Konate, Adrian, Tsimikas, Gordon, Nyoni.
Kaminski 9; Mengi 7, Osho 6, Bell 6; Ogbene 7, Sambi Lokonga 5 (Mpanzu 45, 5), Barkley 7, Doughty 7 (Kabore 74, 5); Morris 6, Chong 6 (J Clark 63, 5); Woodrow 5 (Townsend 58, 5). Substitutes (not used) Potts, Berry, Burke, Krul, Nelson.
A Madley 7
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