Luis Diaz ended a traumatic week by coming off the bench to save Liverpool from a shock defeat at Luton with a stoppage-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw.
Substitute Tahith Chong looked to have secured a sensational Hatters win when he finished off a superb break to slot past Alisson 10 minutes from time.
On their first league visit in more than 30 years, Liverpool appeared rocked by a raucous atmosphere inside Kenilworth Road and were never at their free-flowing best against a side that dug in, ground out and waited for their chance.
And Chong’s goal looked to have been decisive until Diaz, who came off the bench seven minutes from the end for his first appearance since his father was kidnapped in Colombia, got his head on Harvey Elliott’s cross five minutes into added time to deny Luton a famous win.
Diaz lifted his shirt in celebration to reveal a message on a white T-shirt that read ‘libertad para papa’ or ‘freedom for my father’.
Liverpool sought the victory that would move them second in the table, but the first half was a test of their patience as Luton executed an organised, determined plan to stymy their attacking advances.
Darwin Nunez tested the reflexes of goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski early on, striking from outside the box and drawing a diving save from the Luton goalkeeper low to his left.
Nunez went closer still when his first-time effort struck the top of the crossbar from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s superb pass from deep in midfield.
Mohamed Salah sliced an effort over after Luton failed to clear Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick, but on the whole the hosts contained Liverpool well during the opening 25 minutes.
Ryan Gravenberch looked to inject urgency into a ponderous attacking display with a bursting run through the centre, laying the ball off to Diogo Jota who had made a smart run, but after an intelligent dash into space his shot was too close to Kaminski.
From the resulting corner, Alexander-Arnold hit a first-time drive that was blocked inside a crowded penalty area, encapsulating Liverpool’s half.
At the other end, Alfie Doughty and Chiedozie Ogbene linked up well down the left and worked the ball into the middle where Ross Barkley had found space. Unmarked and with a free hit at goal, the former Everton midfielder thumped his 20-yard effort over the bar as Luton’s best opening of the half came and went.
The second half brought with it a growing sense that a single goal might decide things, and Edwards’ side were credible candidates.
In the 63rd minute, Ogbene, a thorn in Liverpool’s right-hand side throughout, raced away from Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate and cut the ball back for Carlton Morris.
It looked for a moment like his contact would be sufficient to beat Alisson, but Liverpool’s goalkeeper had narrowed the angle between Morris and the goal, and the ball spun to safety.
Salah and Nunez conspired between them to miss the game’s best chance so far with 20 minutes to go.
The Egyptian was left unmarked six yards out and nodded towards his team-mate despite Kaminski being exposed. Nunez had time and space but not the composure required to crack the game open, and he ballooned horribly over.
Yet Liverpool’s threat was undoubtedly growing. Nunez made a better job of his next chance, hammering towards the near post from Salah’s pass but again Kaminski was his equal to fist it over the top.
With 10 minutes to go the moment for which home fans had patiently waited arrived, and it began with Liverpool on the attack.
It was Barkley that collected the ball as a corner routine for the visitors broke down, carrying it up over the halfway line with Liverpool committed and pushing it wide on the right into the path of Issa Kabore.
His low cross into the box landed perfectly for Chong who did not even break stride as he guided the ball with consummate cool past Alisson to send a shockwave of noise around Kenilworth Road.
It was all Liverpool after that and they snatched an equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Elliott’s ball into the box was delivered well, and as Luton lost concentration there was Diaz to nod home and rescue his side.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes his “smart” players understand and embrace the increased competition for places up front.
The five forwards he has at his disposal have contributed 30 goals so far this season but only Mohamed Salah, who has 10, is a guaranteed starter every week.
Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz -unavailable for the last two matches due to his father’s kidnapping in Colombia – have all made an impact when they have been selected and despite Klopp’s rotation they all appear to gel well together.
“The boys are all smart. The good thing is we have really only smart players, that means they understand they cannot play all the games,” he said.
“It’s not, ‘I want to play Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday.’ That’s just not possible but everybody sees (it that way) as well.
“That’s how a smart footballer should think and our boys do that: ‘If I can’t play then it’s better we have another really good player who can play the position’. That’s exactly how I see it.
“It’s only four (because of Diaz’s absence) all of a sudden but there are a lot of games still coming if you see the schedule – after the international break it turns completely crazy – so in that time we have to be ready.
“If you want to play a successful season and not only have successful spells, you need the boys through all these different phases.
“We have to get through this and with not a lot of injuries (and then) we have really the joys but if not the boys have just to fight through it.
“For the moment it’s OK, but we need it like this for pretty much the rest of the season, to be honest.”
Of all their front five Cody Gakpo is probably the unsung hero.
The Netherlands international has scored on his last four starts, netting the first goal in three of those, but has been the player sacrificed the most to accommodate holes in the squad as he started the campaign in midfield.
“If we have everybody available it was never the plan to put Cody there but it was for him something new after (playing) the false nine last year,” added Klopp.
“But he’s a super-smart player so he can adapt to that and we want him to adapt.
“He’s just a versatile striker, he can play everywhere up front there. For us it’s super-important. He arrives in the box, he is a good shooter, he has a good nose for the situation.
“How I said, the boys up front all like each other, there’s not this battle of ‘Will I start?’ They know they can all play together.”
Liverpool head to Luton on Sunday looking for their first clean sheet away from Anfield in any competition this season but are on six-match unbeaten run, winning the last four.
As it stands they are in a four-way race for the title but Klopp is keen not to get too excited about how well they have started.
“It’s so early. I’m so happy that we have a really good team together but look at the other teams, they are really good as well,” he said.
“A lot of really good teams are out there and it’s the Premier League so it’s not about celebrating the moment and being relieved that we kind of can play football again.
“No, it’s really about digging into the season, use the full potential of this group, get everything out of it and then let’s see.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes it is scary the levels striker Darwin Nunez could reach.
The Uruguay international’s stunning winner in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win over Bournemouth was his seventh of the season, having scored in his last three matches.
Nunez scored 15 times in what was a difficult maiden campaign both individually and collectively for the team following his £64million move from Benfica.
The 24-year-old did not speak English when he joined the club but that is developing and Klopp believes he will only got better.
“It is completely different now. The first year was hard for him and then hard for me as well because you see this incredible talent, massive potential, but it is difficult to unfold it,” he said.
“I am a manager who can help a player but I need contact for that, it can speed up a process by talking a lot with the player.
“I was not able to do that because I don’t speak Spanish and he didn’t speak English but his English is now that much better. My Spanish still not.
“But he is settled in the team and when you see him around the building everything is different and he is in a very good moment. It is still only the start for him.
“It’s a good moment, hopefully it continues like that forever. Then I am a bit afraid of the highs he could reach because there is so much there it is crazy.
“But now at least we found the real starting moment and let’s work from here.”
Klopp relied heavily on Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker to be his on-field translator in Nunez’s first season but the arrival of Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister in the summer has helped even more.
“The football English is not complicated so we don’t have so speak about everything in life. The football communications are absolutely possible, which is helpful, and we have an extra on-field player,” added the Reds boss ahead of Sunday’s trip to Luton.
“So far it was always Ali who translated everyone and now we have Macca and they are really close with each other and Macca is a super-smart footballer so if I forget to tell him something Macca tells him anyway.
“Strikers need to know where to go when midfielders have the ball and that depends on the midfielders and that is the stuff you talk to players about.
“But the players talk to each other as well about it and Macca is super-helpful. Lucho’s (Luis Diaz) English is also getting better so they are close as well.
“There is not just a specific amount of time, for each individual it is different, to really arrive. But who cares, it is done now and that’s good.”
Liverpool winger Luis Diaz has trained this week but manager Jurgen Klopp will allow the player to decide whether he wants to be involved at the weekend.
The Colombia international’s father is still missing after being kidnapped last week and although there have been suggestions in South America he may soon be set free the 26-year-old has understandably had a difficult few days.
“He was in training two days ago, yesterday he had a session and will be part of the team (training),” said Klopp ahead of Sunday’s trip to Luton.
“We must wait. If he feels right, he will be here and train with us. The session he had with us, you can see when he is with the boys he is fine, he is OK, but you could see he didn’t sleep a lot.
“We have to see how he is and we go from there. The news from Colombia gives us a little bit of hope. We are waiting for the really good news but that’s it pretty much.
“I cannot say what we will do because we just wait where we can pick up the boy from and go from there.
“But it’s all about him, if he makes himself available or not, and I will not force anything.”
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery believes his side can be top-four contenders this season if they continue their remarkable progression.
Villa have improved exponentially under the Spaniard’s regime and posted a 12th successive Premier League home win after they beat Luton 3-1 at Villa Park.
Goals from John McGinn and Moussa Diaby gave them the upper hand before Luton captain Tom Lockyer put through his own net. An Emiliano Martinez own goal got Luton on the scoresheet in the final 10 minutes, but it was Villa’s afternoon.
They have lost twice this season – to Newcastle and Liverpool – and Emery wants his side to keep improving.
“You have to be very demanding and focus each on match,” he said of his side’s chances.
“We are winning matches because we are being very focused, we are being very demanding in our defensive structure, we are trying to build a team with high commitment.
“We are between another seven teams, they show their power consistently. But if we are working like that and doing this process, being demanding, being strong, of course we can progress and still keep the moment we have now in the table.
“I want to face each match being focused, preparing properly and being demanding.
“We have played Liverpool and Newcastle and they were better than us. When we lost against Liverpool and Newcastle, I told the players I want to reduce the distance they showed when they come here.”
They have not lost on home soil since they lost 4-2 to Arsenal on February 18, but Emery thinks there is more to come.
“There is still a lot of work to do and still a lot of things we can improve.
“Tactically, try to be more consistent for 90 minutes. I am very happy but I think there are things that can improve,” he added.
Luton boss Rob Edwards knows that his side’s season will not be judged on games like this.
“Let’s be honest, today was a difficult afternoon for us. There is a gulf between the two teams, at the moment Aston Villa are an exceptional team, in a great moment, confident, brilliant manager and very good players. At 3-0 down with 30 minutes to go I’m on the touchline thinking, ‘This is difficult’.
“I’m really pleased with how the players stayed in it, stayed committed, that was important. It’s important the fans can see we never ever give in and stick at it.
“It was a difficult afternoon but proud of how we stuck to the task.
“Today wasn’t going to define us, we know that, we are in a different battle to Aston Villa at the moment, there is a difference in the teams, but we have to learn from it.
“I want to make us better and me better.”
Aston Villa continued their impressive home form as they beat Luton 3-1 to rack up a 12th successive Premier League win at Villa Park.
Unai Emery’s side have won every home league game since February 18 and made light work of the Hatters, with goals from John McGinn and Moussa Diaby giving them the upper hand before Luton captain Tom Lockyer put through his own net.
Villa have scored 13 goals in the last three Premier League home games as Emery’s team continue to show they are early contenders for the top four this season.
And with games against Nottingham Forest and Fulham coming up, they have a chance to solidify their position in the race before a clash with leaders Tottenham on November 26.
This was a seventh defeat in 10 top-flight games for Luton, who have quickly found out how demanding life can be in the Premier League, though they did get on the scoresheet when Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez scored a late own goal.
They were up against it from the start as Villa were quick onto the attack and could have led inside four minutes.
Ollie Watkins collected a cross and teed up Nicolo Zaniolo, but the Italian’s cushioned effort drifted just wide of the post.
Only a brilliant double save from Thomas Kaminski stopped Villa from breaking the deadlock in the 11th minute as he superbly spread himself to block Watkins’ close-range effort and then reacted quickly to stop the follow-up effort.
There was no surprise when the hosts went ahead in the 17th minute and it was another masterpiece from set-piece coach Austin MacPhee’s playbook.
Douglas Luiz’s low corner was dummied by Moussa Diaby and it ended up with McGinn at the far post, with the Scotland international shifting the ball past Chiedozie Ogbene and into the far corner.
That might have given the Villa the platform to go on and flourish, but Luton did well to stifle them and the hosts were restricted for the rest of the first half in terms of clear-cut chances.
But that quickly changed after the restart as they doubled their lead in the 49th minute.
Lucas Digne’s cross fell kindly to Diaby 12 yards out and he drilled a low effort into the bottom corner.
The Hatters came from 2-0 down at Forest to draw 2-2 last weekend, but there was little chance of a repeat here.
Villa continued to probe and added a third just after the hour.
Diaby made good headway down the right and his cross was turned into his own net by Lockyer.
Leon Bailey could have made it four but he shot wide while McGinn did not connect with a right-footed shot when the goal was gaping.
Luton did not give up and got on the scoresheet in the 83rd minute, Villa defender Ezri Konsa’s header hitting the crossbar and rebounding off Martinez and into the net.
Luton boss Rob Edwards hailed “magic” super-sub Elijah Adebayo after the striker’s stoppage-time equaliser clinched a 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest.
Forest led 2-0 in the 83rd minute through Chris Wood’s second-half double, but Chiedozie Ogbene gave the Hatters a late lifeline and Adebayo’s superb effort snatched them a point.
The 25-year-old took Tom Lockyer’s long ball into the box on his chest and buried a low shot in the second minute of added time as Luton, promoted via the play-offs in May, registered just their fifth point from nine matches.
Edwards said: “It was a great goal. He’s got those moments. He came on against Burnley and got his goal and he’s done it again today.
“He’s got these little moments of magic in him. The assist he got at Sheffield United, the assist at Wembley. He’s had big moments for us Eli since we’ve been here.
“He was frustrated not to start the game as I would expect, but that’s what you’ve got to do when you come on. That’s what I want. He gives me a difficult decision to make next week.”
Forest were worthy of their 2-0 lead after Wood struck in the 48th and 76th minute, but Luton refused to surrender.
Ogbene lashed home in the 83rd minute after Forest had failed to clear a free-kick and Adebayo, a second-half replacement for Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, had the final word.
Edwards added: “I’m really proud of the players. The spirit, the fight and determination.
“We finish the game strongly. We will never give up, we will always keep fighting.
“We’re where we expected to be. Nobody expects us to be top four. We’re where we expected to be, in the fight we expected to be in. We’re comfortable with it.”
Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper could not hide his frustration after his side’s winless run was extended to five matches.
“It’s disappointment in the end,” Cooper said. “We dominated the game and we’re disappointed we weren’t leading by one or two goals at half-time.
“We obviously got the early goal in the second half and then made it 2-0 and it all changes on a set-piece, which we defended terribly really.
“Of all Luton’s threats off set-plays, it was the worst delivery of the day and ends up in the back of our net and that’s where the momentum changes.
“It’s a real pity because of the way we had played for however long it was before their first goal went in because it was a comfortable game for us.”
Substitute Elijah Adebayo struck a stoppage-time equaliser as Luton fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
Chris Wood’s second-half double appeared to have set Forest on their way to a third league win of the season but Chiedozie Ogbene fired Luton a late lifeline and Adebayo rescued them a point in the second minute of added time.
New Zealand striker Wood could have easily ended up with a hat-trick as he went close with two other headers while Luton’s Jacob Brown spurned a golden chance to equalise for the visitors when they trailed 1-0.
Forest forced the early pressure as Wood’s early volley was held by Luton goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski and Ibrahim Sangare headed narrowly over.
Luton responded through Ogbene’s low cross, which narrowly evaded team-mates Carlton Morris and Brown.
Morris fired a low shot wide as Luton made their intentions clear by committing men forward on the counter before another first-time effort from Wood deflected off Luton defender Teden Mengi for a corner.
Luton’s former Manchester United forward Tahith Chong’s shot from outside the box was comfortably saved by Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner and Wood failed to get his header on target from Serge Aurier’s cross.
Forest went close again on the stroke of half-time when Sangare somehow missed the target from Morgan Gibbs-White’s low ball across the six-yard box.
But the home side broke the deadlock three minutes into the second period. Anthony Elanga threaded a neat through-ball into Wood’s path and the striker provided an emphatic left-footed finish.
Wood should have made it 2-0 moments later when he headed Aurier’s excellent cross inches over before Luton spurned a golden chance to equalise, with Brown heading tamely at Turner from six yards.
Wood appeared to have sealed the points for Steve Cooper’s side with a fine header from Elanga’s pin-point, in-swinging cross with 14 minutes remaining.
But the Hatters refused to lie down. Their appeals for a penalty as Morris went down inside the box were dashed by VAR before Ogbene lashed home a volley from eight yards, which stood after another VAR check.
Still the visitors were not finished.
Tom Lockyer launched a long ball into Forest’s penalty area and Adebayo took it superbly on his chest before firing home to haul his side level in the second minute of added time.
Tottenham defenders Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie hailed “leader” Cristian Romero after they combined to extend Ange Postecoglou’s unbeaten start at the club with a 1-0 win at Luton.
Spurs created a plethora of chances early on at Kenilworth Road, but Yves Bissouma received two yellow cards in quick succession in the first half to alter the course of Saturday’s game.
While Van de Ven put Tottenham ahead in the 52nd-minute, Luton made the most of their numerical advantage to pile the pressure on, but vice-captain Romero in particular shone with 12 clearances and five aerial duals won during a colossal display over the 90 minutes.
“Amazing player, unbelievable player,” centre-back Van de Ven said of Romero to SpursPlay.
“Defensively so strong, with the ball so strong, keeps talking, for me an amazing player.
“We had to concentrate for the full 90 minutes. We had to keep pushing, keep commanding and holding a strong line. We help each other and have each others back.
“Everyone keeps talking the whole time and most of the time no one is losing concentration, but everyone is keeping each other awake and you saw we defended really well to keep the clean sheet.”
Left-back Udogie echoed those sentiments, saying: “I think Cuti (Romero) is a real leader.
“You can’t feel more safe (than) with Cuti and he shows this every day in training, in the game and he helps us a lot.
“As you saw it was really tough and with a man less it was more tough but this is the spirit of our squad. We keep working hard for each other and the result come.”
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On his maiden Italy call-up, Udogie added: “It is a big dream for me you know. As a young kid I was always dreaming for this moment.
“Now it has come and I have to just stay focused, enjoy the time, work hard for the team and give my best.”
Spurs have won six of their eight Premier League matches under Postecoglou, which makes this the club’s best start to a top-flight season since the 1960-61 double-winning campaign.
The goals have flowed, but the Australian has added a steel to a previously frail defensive unit and this shut-out was Tottenham’s third with new first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Postecoglou said: “They’ve been great all year, both the centre-backs, the whole back four and Vic.
“I think a big part of that is Romero because when you look at it, it’s Destiny’s first year in the Premier League, Micky’s first year, Vic’s first year and (Pedro) Porro is just beginning his Premier League career, but they’ve got a World Cup winner beside them.
“I think Cuti makes them feel like they belong. They feel really comfortable having him beside them and you can see them flourish.
“He is someone you definitely want in your team. Yes he does have that physicality about him, but he’s a good player as well.
“His passing range, ability to really position himself well, to stay calm and then just ridiculous bravery to always put his body in there. He’s just an outstanding defender.”
Lionel Messi recently labelled Argentina team-mate Romero as the best defender in the world.
“He’s a good judge,” Postecoglou smiled.
Meanwhile, newly-promoted Luton were left to rue missed chances after suffering a sixth defeat, but could soon call upon the services of free agent Andros Townsend after he played for their under-21s on Friday.
“We will see,” Hatters boss Rob Edwards said. “It has to be right for him. We will have a look and see how it goes.
“He played on Friday night the full game.”
Ange Postecoglou hailed 10-man Tottenham after their 1-0 win at Luton but insisted they have achieved nothing by going top of the Premier League in October.
Spurs produced a gritty display to claim all three points at Kenilworth Road after Micky van de Ven scored his first goal for the club in the 52nd minute following James Maddison’s cut-back.
Tottenham’s task was made a whole lot harder when Yves Bissouma was sent off for two bookable offences towards the end of the first half, the second yellow card for simulation, but Postecoglou’s team held firm in the face of late Luton pressure.
“Two different halves, I thought we played some great football in the first half. I thought it was as good as we’ve played and we probably should have been two or three up,” Postecoglou said.
“Obviously the red card changes the game but again I thought the lads handled it really well. They stayed calm and composed.
“In the end just the sheer will and effort of them to make sure we won, not just the starters but the guys coming on, it was a great collective effort.
“Biss made a mistake. He has been brilliant for us this year. He made a mistake and the good thing is how he reacts to these things.
“His team-mates made sure that mistake didn’t cost us and I’m sure when Biss gets back in the team he will reciprocate and make sure that whatever else happens he can get us over the line.
“With all these things I always look at reactions. What are we doing about it? I thought the reaction was outstanding.”
Victory helped Spurs take over from Manchester City at the Premier League summit with the champions in action on Sunday away to last season’s runners-up Arsenal.
A draw at the Emirates Stadium would keep Tottenham top for the international break, but Postecoglou played down their league position – despite this being their best start to a top-flight season since the club’s 1960-61 double-winning campaign.
He added: “I don’t think you read too much. They’re not silly, they know it’s only October and being top of the league now doesn’t really mean anything tangible apart from the fact that we’ve started the season well.
“It’s not like they’re sitting in there thinking we’ve achieved anything. We haven’t achieved anything. All we’ve done is lay some really good foundations.
“Our goals and ambitions lay in improvement. Can we play better? Can we become a better team? And if we do that then we’ll see where that takes us.”
Luton boss Rob Edwards was frustrated that another strong display failed to produce any points.
Spurs started impressively and could have been 3-0 up inside 10 minutes but Richarlison sliced over from close range before Thomas Kaminski saved another effort by the Brazilian and Pedro Porro rolled wide when one-on-one.
Tottenham remained on top until Bissouma’s red card when he went down under close proximity to Marvelous Nakamba, but there had been no contact and referee John Brooks showed the visiting midfielder a second yellow card.
The clash played in front of a partisan Kenilworth Road crowd hinged on a crucial five minutes after half-time when Elijah Adebayo could not convert Chiedozie Ogbene’s dangerous cross from the right in the 47th minute.
Soon after Van de Ven tapped home when Maddison spun away from Alfie Doughty and picked out the Dutch defender in the six-yard box.
“We had a huge opportunity, a massive chance we didn’t take and we’ve been punished for it because we switched off for the short corner. Those two moments are big in the game,” Edwards reflected.
“They are top of the Premier League, they will have chances and we are new to it. I was really pleased with a lot of what I saw, but I am really disappointed and flat as well.”
Micky van de Ven’s first goal in English football fired 10-man Tottenham to the Premier League summit with a 1-0 win at Luton.
Spurs entered this fixture following a controversial 2-1 victory over Liverpool last weekend, where Jurgen Klopp’s side were denied a legitimate goal due to a “significant human error” by VAR operator Darren England.
It meant three points for Ange Postecoglou’s team at Kenilworth Road would send them to the summit for at least 24 hours, but they had to work hard for it after Yves Bissouma was sent off in first-half stoppage-time.
Bissouma was booked twice in quick succession by referee John Brooks, the second for simulation, but Van de Ven’s close-range finish in the 52nd minute earned Tottenham a hard-fought win.
This was the first meeting between the clubs since 1992 and the hostile atmosphere was a throwback to that era with even TNT pundits Rio Ferdinand and Peter Crouch booed ahead of kick-off.
Spurs had put seven goals past the other newly-promoted teams this season and should have added to that tally inside 10 minutes.
Richarlison was guilty of fluffing his lines twice, firing off target via his shin with the goal at his mercy from Dejan Kulusevski’s third-minute cross before Thomas Kaminski denied the Brazilian with his feet after James Maddison’s slick through ball 60 seconds later.
Pedro Porro was next to squander an excellent opportunity when Son Heung-min played him through and he fired wide. The Tottenham captain also curled into the stand before Luton started to settle.
Huge cheers greeted the Hatters’ first corner in the 25th minute, although top goalscorer Carlton Morris could only send his header off target following Alfie Doughty’s delivery.
The visitors remained a threat and a driving run by Pape Sarr set up Kulusevski, but Kaminski produced an excellent fingertip save to parry the 18-yard curler wide.
Luton had the ball in the net after 39 minutes but it was immediately ruled out and a VAR check showed Elijah Adebayo had shoved Cristian Romero.
Doughty’s free-kick dropped for Adebayo, who after pushing Romero flicked over Guglielmo Vicario and onto the post where Lockyer headed in, only for it to be disallowed.
The free-kick came from a Bissouma foul on Chiedozie Ogbene and referee Brooks booked the Tottenham midfielder for a professional foul.
A second yellow card followed in first-half stoppage time for simulation when Bissouma went down under close proximity from Marvelous Nakamba, but there was no contact and Brooks correctly sent off the visiting player.
Luton should have taken the lead two minutes after half-time when Ogbene held off Destiny Udogie and crossed in for Adebayo, but he could not steer his effort on target.
The hosts were hit with a sucker-punch in the 52nd minute when Van de Ven opened his account for Tottenham.
After a number of corners in quick succession, it proved third time lucky for Postecoglou’s side when Maddison collected Kulusevski’s short corner and brilliantly spun away from Doughty before he cut back for Van de Ven to slot home from six yards.
It briefly silenced the partisan Kenilworth Road crowd but they were soon roaring their team on and Doughty dragged wide soon after the opener.
Morris tested Vicario minutes later and, although Porro sent an effort just past the post for Tottenham in the 62nd minute, Luton started to build momentum.
Jacob Brown headed over before substitute Cauley Woodrow had a weak shot saved.
A deflected effort wide by Doughty was the final warning sign for Postecoglou, who introduced Emerson Royal and Oliver Skipp for Son and Maddison with 14 minutes left but Spurs held on to go top.
Micky van de Ven’s first goal in English football fired 10-man Tottenham to the Premier League summit with a 1-0 win at Luton.
Spurs entered this fixture following a controversial 2-1 victory over Liverpool last weekend, where Jurgen Klopp’s side were denied a legitimate goal due to a “significant human error” by VAR operator Darren England.
It meant three points for Ange Postecoglou’s team at Kenilworth Road would send them to the summit for at least 24 hours, but they had to work hard for it after Yves Bissouma was sent off in first-half stoppage-time.
Bissouma was booked twice in quick succession by referee John Brooks, the second for simulation, but Van de Ven’s close-range finish in the 52nd minute earned Tottenham a hard-fought win.
This was the first meeting between the clubs since 1992 and the hostile atmosphere was a throwback to that era with even TNT pundits Rio Ferdinand and Peter Crouch booed ahead of kick-off.
Spurs had put seven goals past the other newly-promoted teams this season and should have added to that tally inside 10 minutes.
Richarlison was guilty of fluffing his lines twice, firing off target via his shin with the goal at his mercy from Dejan Kulusevski’s third-minute cross before Thomas Kaminski denied the Brazilian with his feet after James Maddison’s slick through ball 60 seconds later.
Pedro Porro was next to squander an excellent opportunity when Son Heung-min played him through and he fired wide. The Tottenham captain also curled into the stand before Luton started to settle.
Huge cheers greeted the Hatters’ first corner in the 25th minute, although top goalscorer Carlton Morris could only send his header off target following Alfie Doughty’s delivery.
The visitors remained a threat and a driving run by Pape Sarr set up Kulusevski, but Kaminski produced an excellent fingertip save to parry the 18-yard curler wide.
Luton had the ball in the net after 39 minutes but it was immediately ruled out and a VAR check showed Elijah Adebayo had shoved Cristian Romero.
Doughty’s free-kick dropped for Adebayo, who after pushing Romero flicked over Guglielmo Vicario and onto the post where Lockyer headed in, only for it to be disallowed.
The free-kick came from a Bissouma foul on Chiedozie Ogbene and referee Brooks booked the Tottenham midfielder for a professional foul.
A second yellow card followed in first-half stoppage time for simulation when Bissouma went down under close proximity from Marvelous Nakamba, but there was no contact and Brooks correctly sent off the visiting player.
Luton should have taken the lead two minutes after half-time when Ogbene held off Destiny Udogie and crossed in for Adebayo, but he could not steer his effort on target.
The hosts were hit with a sucker-punch in the 52nd minute when Van de Ven opened his account for Tottenham.
After a number of corners in quick succession, it proved third time lucky for Postecoglou’s side when Maddison collected Kulusevski’s short corner and brilliantly spun away from Doughty before he cut back for Van de Ven to slot home from six yards.
It briefly silenced the partisan Kenilworth Road crowd but they were soon roaring their team on and Doughty dragged wide soon after the opener.
Morris tested Vicario minutes later and, although Porro sent an effort just past the post for Tottenham in the 62nd minute, Luton started to build momentum.
Jacob Brown headed over before substitute Cauley Woodrow had a weak shot saved.
A deflected effort wide by Doughty was the final warning sign for Postecoglou, who introduced Emerson Royal and Oliver Skipp for Son and Maddison with 14 minutes left but Spurs held on to go top.
Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has questioned whether VAR is having a positive impact on football and admitted he would get rid of the technology in its current form.
The fallout of Spurs’ controversial 2-1 win over Liverpool last weekend continues after Jurgen Klopp suggested on Wednesday a replay would be the right outcome before he insisted a day later the matter was over for the club.
It comes after the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) admitted a “significant human error” occurred when the 34th-minute strike by Luis Diaz was incorrectly ruled out for offside after miscommunication by VAR operator Darren England, who was under the impression the on-field decision had been to award the goal, to referee Simon Hooper.
Postecoglou was quizzed on whether he would get rid of VAR, he said: “I would in its current form. I just don’t think that technology’s ready for our game.
“I’ve got absolutely zero against goal-line technology, that’s a no-brainer because that’s quite significant, but it works for our game.
“I just think our game is unique and I know people say well let’s get referees explaining their decisions. Oh my God. Seriously? Could you imagine sitting there listening to a referee explain every decision on the game.
“I’m going to the Gridiron on Sunday, I love it, I love American football. It’s three-and-a-half hours mate. Do you want to sit through three-and-a-half hours of listening?
“I just think with VAR at the moment, we think it’s going to eliminate (errors) and the more we use it, I think the worse it’s going to get.
“It was there for the clear and obvious error. It seems like everything now. Yellow cards, fouls, corners, everything’s getting scrutinised. It’s not our game.
“We’re not rugby, we don’t have those stoppages. What I always loved about England was the frenetic pace of football.
“Why are we trying to take that out? Now, I think part of the consequence of last week was that none of us liked it when they were taking so long to make a decision and it sounded like last week they were rushing into a decision.
“That suggests to me that I don’t think the technology in its current form is suitable to our game, but I know I will be in a minority with that and my role within that is to accept that whatever my feelings are on it, ultimately, there’s still going to be an arbitrator of decisions.”
Postecoglou has consistently insisted he is not a fan of VAR and expressed fears for what football may look like in years to come if technology interferes more and more.
“This is probably the only time I’m happy I’m 58 and not 38. I don’t know what the game is going to look like in 20 years’ time and I’m not sure I would like it with the way it’s going,” he added.
“I’ve always loved the fact that our game has more flaws in it. The uniqueness of our game is the goal is so hard to get. We always focus around that.
“Usually goals came from either a combination of brilliance or some flaws by someone.
“We’re trying to sanitise all that by trying to make it into something that I just don’t think is our game. That’s not what I’ve loved about football. I’ve loved the imperfect nature of it.
“When you’re sitting there analysing every little decision – and it seems we’re going that way where people just want every decision to be right – then that will slow down the game invariably, there will be more interruptions and they’ll take away from what I love about the game.
Meanwhile, Postecoglou played down Klopp’s claims earlier this week about replaying the fixture.
He said: “I think Jurgen’s said that and maybe that was taken a little bit out of context.
“My view is when you’re talking about a replay, there’s got to be some sort of threshold and I don’t think a mistake is a threshold for that.
“It was a unique mistake, people have used an unprecedented mistake and I agree with that, but it was still a mistake.
“So, if your threshold for replays is mistakes by individuals, that’s 365 games a year, I reckon.”
Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has acknowledged Liverpool were denied a “legitimate goal” in last weekend’s match but defended VAR operator Darren England.
Spurs claimed a dramatic 2-1 victory over Liverpool last Saturday, but the result was mired in controversy after a Luis Diaz effort in the 34th-minute was incorrectly ruled out for offside.
The incident was reviewed but VAR operator England mistakenly believed the on-field decision had been to award the goal and, after establishing Diaz had been onside, England told referee Simon Hooper “check complete” before Tottenham resumed the game with the score 0-0.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited subsequently admitted a “significant human error” occurred and released the audio this week, while on Wednesday Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp stated a replay may be the best solution even though he admitted it was unlikely.
Ahead of Saturday’s trip to Luton, Postecoglou said: “The facts of it are that it was a legitimate goal Liverpool scored that wasn’t given.
“You kind of look at why it’s not given because that’s the first thing you question: obviously something has broken down.
“It became clear it wasn’t an integrity issue, it wasn’t a misappropriation of the law, it was an error in communication, a mistake, a mistake which cost Liverpool.
“I get that it’s an unusual one in that it’s never happened before, but at the same time we’re in a new space anyway with technology where I think they’ll be a lot of firsts with the way we deal with these things.”
The fallout from the incident has seen referee England reportedly told he will not officiate another Liverpool match this season, but Postecoglou railed against critics of the official.
“I don’t know if that’s been decided,” the Spurs boss added. “I’d be surprised if they have gone that way.
“It’s a significant error but it’s a human being that’s made that error. I don’t think that there’s anything that needs to go too far reaching
“From my perspective, when I listened to that audio, saying ‘check complete’, someone obviously thought it was a good way of finalising things and it’s worked up until now.
“I would have thought the logical thing is to say ‘goal for Liverpool’ but I’m saying that with the ignorance of not knowing how it’s truly set up.
“When listening to that you probably think there’s better ways of communicating a clear decision in such a big situation.
“I hope that’s what they’re addressing, not the individual that made the mistake. I think that’s a dereliction of the game.
“That’s like me hanging out a player to dry just because he made a mistake. My role is to go in and help that player to improve not say ‘now you’re never playing again’.”
Spurs’ focus will turn to their Saturday lunchtime kick-off at Luton and another victory for Postecoglou’s team would send them top of the Premier League until Sunday’s meeting between current leaders Manchester City and third-placed Arsenal.
James Maddison (knee) and Son Heung-min (groin) have been declared fit to play but Manor Solomon (knee) has joined a growing injury list that contains Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Brennan Johnson (hamstring) and Ivan Perisic (knee).
Tottenham should have Bryan Gil and Giovani Lo Celso back on the bench after groin and quad issues respectively.
Postecoglou said: “If we win we go top of the table for 24 hours but who cares? We’ve got to win.
“It’s a tough game, our focus is on putting on a performance and playing at our best because if we don’t, it won’t matter where we’re sitting on the competition ladder, it’ll be us focusing on a poor performance.”
Scotland manager Steve Clarke believes he has the depth and flexibility to cope with the loss of Kieran Tierney for next week’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Spain.
Tierney suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Real Sociedad on Saturday and Clarke has added left-back Greg Taylor and centre-back Liam Cooper to his squad.
Scotland will qualify for next summer’s finals in Germany if they get a point in Seville on October 12.
“First and foremost it’s a shame for Kieran,” Clarke said. “He got a really good move on loan to Sociedad, started really well and obviously picked up what looks like quite a significant injury.
“We will miss him but I know Kieran, he will work as hard as he can to get back as quickly as possible, and we will be there to support him, and hopefully we are waiting on the other side for him as well with some good news.
“The squad is strong, I believe I have good options. It’s nice to be able to call on people like Greg Taylor, who has started the season well with Celtic. Liam Cooper has come back to the squad as well, which gives me another option.”
Clarke devised his three-man central defence to fit Tierney inside wing-back Andy Robertson and does not have another central defender who can carry the ball forward like the Arsenal man.
Scotland took seven points from three Nations League games in September 2022 while playing a back four in the absence of the injured Tierney, and Clarke is considering his options.
“What you have to weigh up is whether you have time on the training pitch to change the team, to change the system,” said Clarke, whose team also face France in a friendly in Lille on October 17.
“This one is a little bit more difficult because it’s a Thursday match, so the first match is difficult in terms of changing the system.
“That’s not to say we won’t do it because we have done it before. If I feel it’s the right way to go, then we can change the system.
“We still have games this week and at the weekend. You have to wait and see which squad actually turns up, hopefully no more injuries. Once I’ve got everybody in camp, we will make a decision on how we are going to go.
“Then we will have two quite short training sessions to work on the tactical side of it, and we will make sure we get that right.
“I think we could easily slot back into it because most of the players play with a back four with their club, so it’s not as if you are asking them to do something they can’t do.
“They proved in that September week of the Nations League that they could adapt very quickly to a different system.
“It’s a system that we quite often change to within games, if we have to get after the game and maybe chase it a little bit. So it’s a system we can use.”
Clarke admitted he was “nowhere” with the possibility of Newcastle pair Harvey Barnes and Elliot Anderson being involved.
Whitley Bay-born Anderson last week indicated he wanted more time to consider his international future, having left the last Scotland camp after two days following his first call-up to the full squad.
England cap Barnes was recently reported to be considering a switch of allegiance but was last week ruled out for three months with a foot injury.
Clarke said: “I haven’t spoken to Harvey for a long time, so nothing on that one.
“Similar with Elliot, he left the last camp and I haven’t spoken to him since. I haven’t picked him for this camp and I move on and work with the players we have got.”
Clarke would not rule out picking Anderson again “if he doesn’t choose England” but added: “Listen, Elliot is a young man making his way in the game. He has got a big decision to make, international-wise, so let’s just give the boy a little bit of time and space to make that decision.”
The only other change sees Luton striker Jacob Brown replace Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland.
Clarke said: “I had a chat with Lawrence, no problems. It was just a decision I wanted to make for this camp.
“Obviously Lawrence was in the last camp but didn’t get any minutes on the pitch and I felt there could be a similar scenario this time.
“I also wanted to have a look at Jacob because he has started quite well at Luton, playing week in, week out in the Premier League.”
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