Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp reiterated his support for Luis Diaz after the forward scored a stoppage-time equaliser which snatched a 1-1 draw at Luton.
Diaz missed Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest last weekend after returning to Colombia following news that his parents had been kidnapped, but he returned to training this week and came off the bench to earn the Reds a point at Kenilworth Road.
The forward’s mother has been released but he is still waiting for news on his father. After scoring, Diaz lifted up his shirt to reveal a white T-shirt which read ‘libertad para papa’ – ‘freedom for my father’.
Liverpool boss Klopp lauded the player after his header looped over Hatters goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski to cancel out Tahith Chong’s earlier strike.
“It’s wonderful, it’s emotional and it’s fantastic,” Klopp said.
“We wanted to give him the chance to be a little bit distracted from things. He cannot do anything, he’s waiting all the time and so he trained a few times and he was in a good mood, which is good.
“The signs from Colombia are positive and optimistic but not the one thing we want to hear.
“He brings the quality with the 15-20 minutes he played.
“I think not many people (can) imagine what he has going on now – even us, we are close to him of course, we are supporting him, we feel his pain, but for him it is a different level.
“Football sometimes in dark moments can bring joy to people, can bring joy to somebody who is struggling, and I think football is bringing a slice of joy to him at this time.
“We are together with him, for whatever he needs. He came, trained, came to the game, scored a fantastic goal for us that was really important and we are with him 100 per cent.”
The hosts stifled Liverpool in the first half.
And German boss Klopp highlighted his frustration with a lack of counter-pressing which he felt was “personal”.
He added: “What I didn’t like was that in the first half we had no counter-pressing.
“That’s something I take personally and I’ve told the boys that’s really not OK.
“I told them at half-time to be patient and that if they could add counter-pressing into the play then that would be really helpful.”
Luton almost played the perfect game, only to concede late on.
And manager Rob Edwards felt pride at full-time after his team’s efforts gave them an important point in their survival bid.
This team keeps making us proud. 🧡 pic.twitter.com/TnLmGW9dGd
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) November 5, 2023
“My overriding feeling is pride,” Edwards said. “Of course we wanted to win the game but maybe they would have felt hard done by if we had won that.
“We had a plan and the players committed to it and we got close. The feeling is pride.
“The players gave everything.”
Let's start our Daily Laugh today. Don't give up on the Premier League Dungeon Bro, Darwin Arsenal transfer market These are the same fans who say Auckland City didn't deserve to be in the Club World Cup.Brazilian teams at the Club World Cup: 4/4 through to the round of 16Argentinian teams at the Club World Cup: 0/2 through to the round of 16 lol This is what referees have to watch for 90 minutes....
Barcelona attacking midfielder Pablo Torre is closing in on a transfer to Mallorca after agreeing terms with the LaLiga club, a source has confirmed to ESPN.Mallorca and Torre's entourage held a meeting on Thursday, in which an agreement was reached with the player, who is attracted by Mallorca's project, a source said.The news was first reported by Marca.In the coming days, Mallorca will contact ...
Arsenal are in talks to sign Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera, sources have told ESPN.Mosquera, 20, has made 73 LaLiga appearances in the last two seasons and sources said Arsenal are well positioned to beat off competition to the defender, who is a Spain youth international but also eligible for Colombia.RB Leipzig are also interested and Valencia have tried to renew Mosquera's contract, b...
Gyokeres makes transfer U-turn amid Man Utd and Arsenal interestViktor Gyokeres has made a transfer U-turn as he aims to force a move to Manchester United or Arsenal this summer.It had originally been assumed that Gyokeres would favour a move to Arsenal of the two English clubs, with Champions League football on offer at the Emirates. However the Gunners' continued pursuit of Benjamin Sesko from R...
Real Betis interest grows in Barrenechea’s: We have to decide if Unai wants to keep him...Aston Villa midfielder Barrenechea is attracting attention this summer as manager Unai Emery makes a decision regarding his future.Barrenechea continues to attract attention after impressing on loan at Valencia since August, namely from Real Betis. Midfield maestro, Johnny Cardoso, who seems destined fo...
Milos Kerkez opens up on Liverpool move: I think it should be every kid's dreamLiverpool signing Milos Kerkez has opened up on his move to the club this summer and why he chose the Reds over every other side.Liverpool completed the signing of Kerkez from the Cherries in a deal worth 340M as manager Arne Slot build a team fit to challenge for the Premier League title once again. The Hungary interna...
Trafford has "fully agreed personal terms with Newcastle" ahead of summer moveNewcastle United are closing in Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford who has agreed personal terms with the club.Burnley reportedly value Trafford at around 340million, which would make the 22-year-old the fifth most expensive goalkeeper of all time as the Magpies chase down their first signing of the summer transfer window...
Vivianne Miedema scored her 98th and 99th international goalsFinland Women lost their five-match unbeaten run on the eve of the 2025 UEFA Women's European Championship thanks to a 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands in a warm-up friendly before the tournament.The homes side's opening goal in Leeuwarden was a gift from the Finnish defence - in the 11th minute, Oona Siren gave the ball away cheaply inside...
Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli is challenged by Brentford's Danish midfielder Christian NorgaardIn order not to get left behind in the transfer market this summer, Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal board appear to be making various moves which could have a significant and positive impact for them in 2025/26.To date, since the Spaniard took over in the Emirates Stadium dugout, the Gunners have always bee...
Al Ain's Laba Kodjo Fodoh (centre) is congratulated by teammates after scoring his team's first goalAl Ain ended their FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a 2-1 comeback victory over Wydad at Audi Field in Washington in just the third-ever meeting between a team from Morocco and one from the Middle East.Both teams knew their fate prior to kick-off - even a win would not be enough to see them progres...
- 1 Gareth Bale set to buy former PL club
- 2 'He felt honored' - Marcelo Gallardo confirms he approached Cristiano Ronaldo about playing for River Plate at the Club World Cup
- 3 Samson Tijani: Nigeria star joins Dukla Prague from RB Salzburg
- 4 Diletta Leotta sizzles in tiny bikini on inflatable flamingo
- 5 Seattle Sounders vs PSG Prediction 24 June 2025
- 6 Man United close in on Bryan Mbeumo
- 7 Ex-Ajax star Promes extradited to Netherlands to serve jail term
- 8 Man Utd close in on Bryan Mbeumo! Red Devils agree £60m+ fee with Brentford as Premier League rivals iron out final transfer details
- 9 Salzburg vs Real Madrid Prediction 27 June 2025
- 10 Real Madrid reveal target as Zubimendi joins Arsenal