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Positives to take from disappointing Liverpool draw against Luton
It was a disappointing result for Liverpool down at Luton Town, and I think what will have disappointed them most was the fact that it was pretty much self-inflicted. Yes, Luton defended well, worked hard and deserve a lot of credit for their performance, but had Liverpool been anything like as sharp as they have been for much of this season, then they’d have won the game.
As it was, they lacked real quality, especially in an attacking sense. Too many of their better technical players had an off day - Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Trent Alexander-Arnold in particular - and the game was perhaps best summer up by the chance missed by first Salah and then Darwin Nunez with 20 minutes to go. Either player would have expected to take that.
The positives to emerge, I guess, were that they did find a way to rescue a point when it looked as if they would slide to another defeat away to a newly-promoted side, and that again Jurgen Klopp was able to turn to his substitutes’ bench and find inspiration. Harvey Elliott has had a really good season in that regard, coming on an impacting games as a sub, and he did so again, while Luis Diaz’s courage and commitment could not be faulted. Given everything the Colombian has had going on in his life of late, the sheer fact that he could get himself onto the pitch represented a remarkable show of strength, and to add to that with a crucial equaliser, and a goal born out of desire and hunger, says a lot about Diaz’s character.
Darwin Nunez continues to divide opinion but here’s why Liverpool believe he will become a 30-goal-a-season striker
If nothing else, Darwin Nunez seems determined to ensure that those who have strong opinions on him, good or bad, will always have plenty to talk about!
The Uruguayan was the hero against Bournemouth with his stunning winning goal, but he was back to zero at Luton, taking nine shots and failing to get on the scoresheet despite a string of good chances. The miss in front of an open goal late on is one that will be remembered for some time, I’m sure.
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