Victor Lindelof Nets Winner as Wasteful Manchester United Clinch 1-0 Win Over Luton

Victor Lindelof scored the only goal at Old Trafford as Manchester United claimed a 1-0 victory over Luton, relieving the pressure on under-fire manager Erik Ten Hag.

The Red Devils missed a plethora of chances in the first half as Luton proved stubborn opposition on their first trip to M16 since September 1991.

But Lindelof slammed high into the net on 59 minutes after Town failed to clear their lines, earning United a second successive Premier League win. 

The stadium fell silent as wreaths were laid in the pitch and a bugler played the last post to mark the 105th anniversary of Armistice Day. The names of former Manchester United and Luton Town players who served in the armed forces and made the ultimate sacrifice during the two world wars were displayed on the scoreboards and around the perimeter of the pitch.

Rasmus Hojlund became the fastest United player to reach five Champions League goals for United during the chaotic 4-3 defeat at FC Copenhagen in midweek. 

The Dane scored twice in his native country, but a first Premier League goal continues to elude the young striker.

Hojlund should have opened his account in the opening minutes when Marcus Rashford’s deflected cross landed five yards out from goal, but his finish was eased brilliantly by sprawling Town goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski.

Rashford was the next player to test the Hatters defence when he peeled off to the back post and volleyed Bruno Fernandes’s corner kick back across goal, only for Gabe Osho to deflect behind.

Osho launched a long pass towards Carlton Morris midway through the first half, and after Lindelof headed straight to Issa Kabore. The full back took a touch before whipping in a cross from the right flank. Morris rose highest to head goalwards and saw his effort clawed away from the bottom corner by the diving Andre Onana.

Luton were left exposed when Diogo Dalot intercepted Kaminski’s pass out from the back. The United no. 20 headed to Hojlund who swivelled and sent Alejandro Garnacho through on goal on the left flank. 

Kaminski stood firm as the youngster tried to round the goalkeeper, before Kabore and Tom Lockyer came back and combined to tackle the winger and clear to safety.

United missed yet another glaring opportunity at the beginning of the second half when Hojlund headed wide from a Fernandes free kick, but the hosts finally broke the deadlock following another set piece on the hour mark.

A Fernandes corner from the left was cleared by Morris to the edge of the box where substitute Mason Mount passed to Rashford who drilled across goal. Alfie Doughty could only poke the low cross-shot into the danger zone where Lindelof arrived to stroke the ball beyond a helpless Kaminski and into the roof of the net.

Kaminski kept Luton in the game with ten minutes remaining when he stood firm to stop Rashford’s low shot with the forward bearing in on goal.

The Belgian international capped off another fine individual performance by diving low to his left to save Scott McTominay’s header, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Luton falling into the Premier League relegation zone following Bournemouth’s win over Newcastle.

Luis Diaz Nets Late Equaliser to Deny Luton Shock Victory Over Liverpool

Luis Diaz bravely headed in a 95th-minute goal to earn Liverpool a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw at Luton Town on Sunday afternoon.

Former Manchester United man Tahith Chong had slid in to finish off a flowing counter attack and give the hosts an unlikely lead 10 minutes from time. 

But Diaz, who bravely entered the fray just days after learning his father had been kidnapped by a Colombian guerrilla group, rose to bundle into the net and salvage a point for the Reds.

Town made a positive start at Kenilworth Road when an intricate passing move in midfield led to Alfie Doughty down the left. After Trent Alexander-Arnold had cleared for a throw-in, Ross Barkley received the ball, shrugged off his marker and fired a low shot straight into the arms of Alisson Becker. 

The Brazilian immediately volleyed upfield to Diogo Jota, and after a flurry of passes, Darwin Nunez released a curling shot which was parried wide by Town stopper Thomas Kaminski.

Nunez missed a plethora of chances during what was another skilful but erratic performance as Liverpool’s frontman. He lashed over from long range on 10 minutes, then swiftly controlled Alexander-Arnold’s clipped pass and fired against the top of the crossbar. 

Marvelous Nakamba showed tenacity to win the ball back in midfield and poke to Doughty. The full-back passed to Chiedozie Ogbene whose cross to the back post was deflected to Issa Kabore. From 15 yards, the Manchester City loanee blazed over the bar.

After another curling Nunez shot was comfortably parried by Kaminski, Doughty released Ogbene down the left who drew Ibrahim Konate into a foul. The Liverpool defender was shown a yellow card for blocking the rapid Republic of Ireland winner.

Liverpool should have taken the lead when Dominik Szoboszlai’s free kick from the left was headed into the danger zone by the Luton defence, but Mohamed Salah’s could only lash a left-footed volley high and wide.

Kaminski was drawn into another fine save when Ryan Gravenberch raced through midfield and released Jota. The Portuguese dragged a right-foot shot towards the bottom left corner, but the Belgian stopper plunged to his right and clawed the ball away.

Lowly Luton continued to carve out chances and followed a familiar route to goal when Ogbene rolled in to Doughty who reached the byline and delivered into the box. The ball was deflected into the path of Barkley who failed to balance his body over the ball and thrashed over the bar.

Town showed more promising signs at the start of the second half. First Ogbene curled a tame shot into the arms of Alisson, then Andros Townsend released Kabore down the right flank. His first cross was blocked by Konate, and his second attempt narrowly evaded the diving Morris and was collected by Alisson. 

Ogbene has recently been named the fastest player in the Premier League, and the winger once again exhibited his blistering pace when he raced past Alexander-Arnold and Konate before passing to Morris whose effort was saved by the legs of Alisson.

Reds manager Jurgen Klopp introduced Harvey Elliott and Cody Gakpo midway through the second half to find an elusive goal. The two substitutes combined as Elliott crossed from the right and the Dutchman’s scorpion flick trickled wide. 

Liverpool should have finally broken the deadlock when Alexander-Arnold crossed from the left. Salah miscued his header from close range and Nunez inexplicably blazed over from five yards.

Kaminski was once again called into action after Osho was dispossessed in midfield. Salah charged towards goal and released Nunez whose fierce shot was palmed over by the Luton keeper.

Gravenberch was the next Liverpool player to be denied by Kaminski when his shot from 25 yards sent the sensational stopper diving to his left to parry behind.

From the resulting corner, Virgil Van Dijk’s header was inadvertently handled by the unsighted Barkley. While the visitors appealed for a penalty, the former Everton man dribbled from the edge of the box and glided through midfield. 

Barkley passed to Kabore on the right who curled the perfect pass into the path of substitute Chong. He lunged to poke the ball beyond the onrushing Alisson and into the empty net, sparking pandemonium at Kenilworth Road.

After the customary nervous wait for a VAR check to be completed, Liverpool’s penalty claims were waved away and the goal awarded.

The Hatters thought they had held on for victory after Kaminski marshalled Konate’s header wide, but the Reds rescued a point when the substitute Diaz showed desire to rise above Kabore and with a combination of head and shoulder, finally beat Kaminski.

I’m celebration, the Colombian raised his jersey to reveal a message which read ‘Libertad Para Papa’, translated from Spanish to mean ‘Freedom for Papa’.

Kabore raced forward to force Alisson into one more save before the full-time whistle was blown.

As the players walked down the tunnel, Diaz was consoled first by Town skipper Tom Lockyer, then manager Klopp, a warming display of support solidarity in unimaginable adversity.

Last-gasp Elijah Adebayo Equaliser Earns Luton Draw at Nottingham Forest

Elijah Adebayo’s dramatic late goal salvaged a point for Luton Town as they came from two goals down to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest.

Chris Wood opened the scoring just three minutes into the second half when he slotted beyond Town keeper Thomas Kaminsi, and Forest believed they had the win sewn up when Wood headed in his second goal of the afternoon with 14 minutes remaining. 

But Luton fought back when Chiedozie Ogbene pounced to volley in when Forest failed to clear a Ross Barkley free kick. Then Adebayo, who had come on as a second-half substitute, showed strength and composure to control the ball on his chest and fire beyond Forest keeper Matt Turner.

 

Forest threatened from the start at the City Ground, with Anthony Elanga giving Reece Burke a torrid time on the left flank. The Town defender, who usually operates as a centre-back, had been shifted out to the right to deal with the considerably quicker Elanga.

The hosts created their first scoring opportunity when Elanga raced down the touchline and fed overlapping full-back Harry Toffolo. His cross found Wood in front of goal, but the striker’s mishit volley was held by the grateful Kaminski. 

Orel Mangala showed exquisite skill moments later to turn in midfield, poke through the legs of Marvelous Nakamba and set Forest away on another attack. A passing combination resulted in Serge Aurier crossing from the right and Ibrahim Sangare heading over the bar. 

Luton responded when captain Tom Lockyer intercepted a loose ball and passed into Ogbene on the right flank. The Republic of Ireland international’s low cross narrowly evaded Carlton Morris, and Murillo’s touch diverted the ball away from the onrushing Jacob Brown at the back post. 

It wouldn’t be long before Brown had a sight of goal, connecting with another low Ogbene cross, but the Scotland international dragged wide with his right foot from 15 yards. 

Forest came mightily close to breaking the deadlock when Morgan Gibbs-White’s cross was inadvertently headed into the danger zone by a stooping Ogbene. Toffolo poked towards goal from close range and Kaminski showed excellent reflexes to block the ball with his right hand, as did Lockyer to lash the ball clear. 

Elanga continued to terrorise the Town defence when his cross found Wood whose sweeping left-footed effort was deflected over the bar by Teden Mengi. 

When Alfie Doughty and Mengi saw their deliveries into the box cleared by home defenders, Tahith Chong picked up the pieces on the edge of the area. The midfielder controlled the ball on his chest before firing a left foot volley towards goal, however the effort flew too close to Turner to trouble the Forest keeper, who grasped the ball with ease. 

Steve Cooper’s side spurned yet another opportunity to score on the cusp of half time. Gibbs-White fed Aurier on the right who comically slipped over as he tried to cross the ball, however the Luton defenders were so sluggish that the Ivorian could return to his feet and cross perfectly for Wood who inexplicably headed over at the back post. 

Forest even wasted one final chance before the break after Willy Boly’s excellent upfield pass released Gibbs-White down the right flank. The midfielder’s cross from the byline was booted back into the danger zone by Kaminski, only for Sangare to drag wide of the post with the goal at his mercy. 

The hosts finally found the goal their dominance deserved when Kaminsi’s kick upfield was cleared by Murillo, prodded forward by Sangare and collected by Gibbs-White who passed to Elanga. In one swift counterattack, the winger then played Wood through on goal who raced towards the Trent End and passed beyond Kaminski and into the net. 

Forest continued to create chances at will, and Wood should have scored again moments later when Gibbs-White swung in from the right. The New Zealand international had run free of Lockyer but couldn’t keep his header down. 

Despite the sustained pressure, Town might have levelled after 52 minutes. Chong and Morris passed the ball from left flank to right where Ogbene danced inside and chipped delicately towards goal with his left foot. From seven yards out, Brown could only head straight into the grateful arms of Turner. Having missed a similar header against Tottenham, pressure is mounting on the Scot to open his Premier League account. 

Midway through the second half, Gibbs-White began to see more of the ball by making intelligent runs between Luton’s midfield and defence. First, the 23-year-old popped up on the left and forced Kaminski into a low save. Then he raced into the box on the right and manipulated the ball onto his left foot before firing high and wide. 

The Wolves midfielder was once again at the centre of the action when he received Nicolas Dominguez’s short pass in midfield and drove out to Elanga on the left. After a couple of stepovers, the winger cut inside and crossed with his right foot, perfect for the arriving Wood to head into the bottom right corner and double Forest’s lead. 

Shortly before Forest’s second goal, Edwards introduced Adebayo, Barkley and Andros Townsend as substitutes, and those three players would inspire Luton to a dramatic late comeback. 

With seven minutes of normal time remaining, Gibbs-White was shown a yellow card for cynically hacking down Barkley who had brilliantly plucked Toffolo’s clearance out of the air. From the resulting free-kick, Townsend’s flat delivery was misjudged by Aurier who fell to his knees and watched the ball bounce over his head. Tofollo could only deflect into the path of Ogbene who swivelled on the spot and sliced into the top right corner. 

After a lengthy VAR check for a possible offside the goal was given, and from that moment Luton’s players began to feed off the nervous energy inside the City Ground. Barkley got back on the ball in midfield and exchanged a quick one-two with fellow substitute Cauley Woodrow before passing into Adebayo whos flick set up Woodrow. With the travelling fans willing the ball into the net, Woodrow’s shot was blocked brilliantly by Murillo. 

In the second of eight additional minutes, Lockyer lofted a long ball towards Adebayo who displayed excellent strength to fend off Forest substitute Joe Worrall, control the ball on his chest and set himself for a shot on goal in one graceful motion. 

As a split second of silent anticipation passed in the stadium, Adebayo proceeded to half-volley with the outside of his right foot onto Turner’s right knee and into the net, evoking ecstasy in the away end. 

Forest still had two major opportunities to re-establish their lead deep into stoppage time. Gibbs-White’s direct ball was flicked on by Ryan Yates into Worrall. Ogbene intervened to knock the ball away with his thigh, then heroically dive to block Cheikhou Kouyate’s route to goal and boot the ball clear. 

The offside flag came to the rescue for Luton when Barkley was dispossessed in midfield. Gibbs-White slotted the ball through for Wood who slammed across goal and into the bottom left corner. The City Ground erupted in celebration, but Lockyer had cleverly played Wood offside and the goal was disallowed.

As the full time whistle blew, Forest were left to reflect on their astonishing wastefulness in front of goal, and two points dropped against a Hatters team that is somehow still hovering above the Premier League relegation zone.