This match report was kindly provided courtesy of the superb Luton Town news Website www.lutontoday.co.uk.  Lutontoday.co.uk kindly allow us to use their match reports, and, as Hatters fans, we'd urge you to check out their excellent Website, which always contains up-to-date Luton Town news, views and match reports.  The photos are also with the kind permission of Luton Town Football Club and their excellent photographer Gareth Owen.

VENUE Anfield ATTENDANCE 41,446 REFEREE P Walton (Northamptonshire) MATCH DATE 15 January 2008 KICK OFF TIME 20:00

LIVERPOOL Charles Itandje   Álvaro Arbeloa   Jamie Carragher   Sami Hyypiä John Arne Riise   Jermaine Pennant   Xabi Alonso   Steven Gerrard   Lucas 73   Ryan Babel   Peter Crouch   Dirk Kuyt 65   Fernando Torres   Fábio Aurélio 73   SUBS NOT USED Harry Kewell   David Martin

LUTON TOWN Dean Brill   Keith Keane   Don Hutchison   Alan Goodall   Richard Jackson   David Bell   Paul McVeigh 73   Steve Robinson   Stephen O'Leary 68   Matthew Spring   Darren Currie   Calvin Andrew   Paul Furlong 68   Drew Talbot   SUBS NOT USED Lewis Emanuel   Sam Parkin

Match Report	15 January 2008
Liverpool 5 - 0 Luton Town

LIVERPOOL 5 Ryan Babel '45 Steven Gerrard '52, '64, '72 Sami Hyypiä '57  LUTON TOWN 0 N/A

PLUCKY LUTON SUCCUMB TO LIVERPOOL DEFEAT...

A hat-trick from inspirational midfield star Steven Gerrard put a patched-up Luton Town side to the sword at Anfield – but Kevin Blackwell's brave side came home with their heads held high after a gutsy performance in front of the fabled Kop.

Liverpool were frustrated by the feisty League One visitors throughout the first-half of this FA Cup Third Round replay, and only managed to break the deadlock just before the interval.

But after the break the floodgates opened as the visiting side's crocked keeper and makeshift back four succumbed to the superior skills of the Scousers.

Ryan Babel broke Luton's stoic resistance in first-half stoppage-time before Gerrard and Sami Hyypia supplied the second-half scores.

Luton offered little in attack but competed manfully as their massed ranks of supporters in the Anfield Road end – more than 5,000 made the trip – sang throughout.

Rattled by the first encounter that ended 1-1 at Kenilworth Road, under-fire Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez named his strongest possible starting side, including both Gerrard and Fernando Torres amid a host of other stellar names.

For Luton, keeper Dean Brill, who suffered a thigh injury against Swansea City on Saturday, started in goal despite the late inclusion of Ross Faulds in Luton's match day squad.

But Chris Perry failed to shake off his thigh injury, which left Luton with a makeshift centre-half pairing of Alan Goodall and Don Hutchison.

The game got off to a brisk start with Bell almost sending Andrew clear in the third minute, while only a well-timed tackle from Don Hutchison prevented Gerrard from pulling the trigger at the other end.

With Luton lacking a physical presence at the back Liverpool almost took advantage as early as the sixth minute when a Jermaine Pennant cross found Peter Crouch at the far post, but the beanpole England striker's header went wide of the far post.

The Hatters were struggling to contain their hosts despite winning a number of corners and the Reds came within an inch of taking the lead on nine minutes.

Gerrard's run and pass opened up Luton's defence and, although Babel's first touch was not good, he brought the ball under control and curled his shot past Brill but on to the far upright and away.

Crouch then fired straight at Brill and Torres blazed over when well placed as Liverpool continued to turn the screw.

Luton kept battling but Darren Currie could only drag his shot from the edge of the area wide on 18 minutes.

Although the game was largely one-way traffic Luton refused to buckle under the weight of Liverpool pressure, battling their Premiership rivals every inch of the way.

Keith Keane did brilliantly to get a foot in when Babel threatened on 29 minutes, while Goodall put his body on the line to block a Gerrard thunderbolt eight minutes later.

"The Luton back line was finally breached in first-half stoppage-time"

Having stemmed the Liverpool juggernaut for almost all of the first-half, the Luton back line was finally breached in first-half stoppage-time when Torres slipped the ball through to Babel and the Dutchman drove it home into the bottom left-hand corner.

With Brill still hampered by his thigh injury Xabi Alonso tried his luck straight from the re-start, an effort comfortably gathered by Luton's number one.

Liverpool continued to pour forward at every opportunity and Torres was just unable to force home Pennant's cross. Then, having skipped past Keane, Babel wasted his final ball seconds later.

However, the Reds were not to be denied and Gerrard doubled their lead on 52 minutes. Pennant's deep cross was headed back across goal by Crouch and the onrushing England man stooped to power his header home.

Keane then almost put into his own net for the second game running seconds later, but just got back in time to clear his own header off the line.

Liverpool soon made it 3-0 as they began to pull the brave Hatters apart.

Gerrard swung in a corner on 58 minutes and Sami Hyypia rose above Andrew and Spring at the near post, although his header appeared to deflect off one of the Luton duo on its way into the net.

In a rare foray up field Spring fired well over on 63 minutes, although Liverpool continued to boss the game.

Goal number four arrived on 64 minutes when a blocked Torres shot ran to Gerrard on the edge of the area and the England ace side-footed home.

"Gerrard proceeded to complete his hat-trick on 71 minutes"

And Gerrard proceeded to complete his hat-trick on 71 minutes, thumping home from 25-yards.

With the job done, Liverpool proceeded to take their foot off the pedal, with Dirk Kuyt heading wide on 83 minutes when he should have done better.

Brill then denied Kuyt with his legs in injury-time as Luton proved there is plenty of fight left in them yet.

Blackwell's Comments	15 January 2008
Liverpool 5-0 Luton Town "They were square pegs in round holes but they gave me everything they have got. "There is no doubt they (Liverpool) have ability in abundance and have done exceptionally well for Rafa. "It was an awesome team they put out. Clearly they have done a great job for the manager."

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