Luton cruelly denied famous Liverpool win by Diaz's injury time equaliser

Luton were so, so close to one of the biggest wins in their recent history as Liverpool needed an injury time equaliser from substitute Luiz Diaz to earn a last-gasp point at Kenilworth Road this evening.

It looked like the Hatters were going to come away with a famous victory thanks to Tahith Chong's wonderful breakaway goal with 10 minutes to go, a move that actually started from a visitors corner.

However, eight minutes of stoppage time were awarded, and that was just too much for the hosts, as the Reds managed to equalise with three to go, a deep cross nodded in by Diaz, who only declared himself available to play late on, following the kidnapping of his father out in Colombia last weekend.

Ahead of the game, Town boss Rob Edwards made one change from their 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa last Sunday, Andros Townsend getting his first start for the club, Jacob Brown dropping to the bench.

With Kenilworth Road bringing the noise in the early stages, the Reds had the majority of the ball, Teden Mengi making a superb clearance at the back post to prevent Liverpool taking an early lead.

Despite the visitors’ dominance it was Luton who had the first shot in anger, Ross Barkley's low drive gathered comfortably by Alisson.

Liverpool responded as Darwin Nunez's curler was touched behind by a diving Thomas Kaminski, the Uruguayan then taking advantage of a poor touch from Barkley to race forward and power over the top from range.

Having successfully navigated the opening 10 minutes, Town were inches away from falling behind as one ball through the middle was seized on by Nunez, rifling against the point of post and bar.

Town weren't without their moments, Chiedozie Ogbene sent away on the left to cross for Issa Kabore on the opposite flank, the Manchester City loanee blazing over.

Nunez clearly had one thing on his mind when within shooting distance, having another pop from range which required Kamsinki to palm away yet again.

Having kept Mo Salah quiet, the Egyptian couldn't make the most of his big chance on 22 minutes, a free kick dropping to him just 12 yards out, slicing waywardly off target.

Nunez opted to try his luck with his head from a Salah cross, failing to test Kaminski once more, something that was to become a theme.

Ahead of the game, Edwards had spoken about how getting a result in the top flight would require Kaminski to make a few saves and that was the case on 34 minutes, the Belgian showing excellent reactions to turn aside Diogo Jota's snapshot after a surging run by Ryan Gravenberch.

Weathering a huge spell of possession from the visitors with their clean sheet intact, Luton did manage an attack of their own on 41 minutes, Barkley lashing a decent chance into the scoreboard behind the goal.

Try as they might, Jurgen Klopp's side still couldn't force the breakthrough, Jota getting too much on his header from Trent Alexander-Arnold's hanging delivery.

After the break, the Hatters managed to end their habit of conceding in the early stages, as they continued to have their moments in the final third, Ogbene ambitiously going for goal with Doughty and Morris well positioned, the pair quickly letting him know their obvious frustration.

Kabore then produced some terrific wing play from Townsend's ball, his cross needing some solid last-ditch defending by the visitors.

Luton brought on Chong on the hour mark for Townsend, who had run himself into the ground for an hour, and they almost had the opener on 65 minutes.

The fearless Ogbene did magnificently on the left to beat Alexander-Arnold for pace and then just keep on going, getting into the box, picking out Morris whose close range prod was blocked behind a covering defender.

Liverpool responded with a triple change, Dutch star Cody Gakpo on, as Nunez failed to adjust his feet to turn over the line from close range midway through.

How the visitors didn't go ahead on 70 minutes, only Nunez will know, a cross nodded down by Saleh and from a few yards out, with the goal gaping, the forward somehow lifted miles into the Bedfordshire night sky from underneath the crossbar to huge cheers from the home faithful.

Moments later, Nunez did locate the target, only to find his luck out once more, the impressive Kamsinski with another athletic stop, immediately parrying Gravenberch's strike away too.

Then came the moment all Luton fans had been dreaming of, as Town broke from the set-piece, which saw the visitors calling for a penalty, Barkley striding away.

He waited for the run of Kabore, who in turn took a touch and then picked out Chong to slide in at the far post and send Kenilworth Road into absolute raptures.

The home supporters had to wait nervously as VAR checked the possible spotkick at the other end, also that Chong had timed his move perfectly, and with both getting the green light, they could celebrate once more.

Now looking at holding on for three points, rather than the solitary one, eight minutes of stoppage time were added, and after seeing out the first few, Luton were then undone with three left, Harvey Elliott's cross nodded into the net by Diaz, the attacker having only been on the field for 10 minutes.

There was now the worry Luton could leave empty-handed, but with the endless energy of Kabore, it was Town who almost won it, the wingback's late drive was punched away by Alisson, as the result meant Edwards’ side climbed out of the bottom three on goal difference.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Issa Kabore, Gabe Osho, Tom Lockyer (C), Teden Mengi, Alfie Doughty, Marvelous Nakamba, Ross Barkley, Andros Towsend (Tahith Chong 61), Chiedozie Ogbene (Jacon Brown 79), Carlton Morris (Elijah Adebayo 75).

Subs not used: Tim Krul, Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu, Ryan Giles, Jordan Clark, Jayden Luker, Zack Nelson.

Reds: Alisson Becker, Joe Gomez (Kostas Tsimikas 67), Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahim Konate, Dominik Szoboszlai (Harvey Elliott 66), Darwin Nunez, Alex Mac Allister, Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota (Cody Gakpo 66), Ryan Gravenberch (Luis Diaz 83), Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Subs not used: Caoimhin Kelleher, Wataru Endo, Joel Matip, Ben Doak, Jarell Quansha.

Booked: Nakamba 44, Mac Allister 54.

Referee: Andrew Madley.

Attendance: 11,049.