Luton Town 2-3 Chelsea: Premier League as it happened | Premier League

Match report: Luton 2-3 Chelsea

Jacob Steinberg’s match report has landed so I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company – bye!

There’s loads more football to come, including four 3pm kick-offs in the Premier League. Tom Bassam has all the team news.

Look at his face! Just look at his face!

The Chelsea goalscorers speak to TNT Sports

Noni Madueke

We had to stay together in the last moments, we know it’s a hard place to come. We made it hard for ourselves but I’m glad we got the three points.

[On his goal] They double-teamed me most of the time, so I just thought I’d shift it to my right and hit it as hard as I can. Luckily it went in the top corner.

[Palmer’s second goal was an ice-cold finish, wasn’t it?] That’s why they call him Cold Palmer!

Cole Palmer

[On he second goal] When I took it round the keeper I thought the other guy would come across fast, so if I waited a second I’d have time to put it in.

Hopefully this is just the start. I’m adapting to a new life – my teammates, the city, everything’s new to me – and hopefully I can show more on the pitch.

Full time: Luton 2-3 Chelsea

Chelsea hold on to claim their third win in four Premier League games! They seemed to be cruising when the outstanding Cole Palmer made it 3-0 in the 70th minute, but instead that sparked a ferocious assault from Luton. They scored twice, had a goal disallowed, hit the bar twice and were seriously close to a sensational comeback.

90+5 min Ogbene nutmegs Gusto, surges into the area and is crucially tackled by Jackson.

90+4 min: Luton substitution Cauley Woodrow is on for Albert Sambi Lokonga.

90+3 min Gusto is booked for timewasting at a throw-in. Luton have three minutes to find an extraordinary equaliser.

90+1 min Doughty releases the underlapping Chong, whose wicked cross somehow beats everyone in the middle. Chelsea are hanging on for dear life.

90+1 min: Chelsea substitution Alfie Gilchrist, a young defender, replaces Cole Palmer.

90 min Barkley’s marvellous backheel releases Chong on the left of the area. He hammers a low cross into the six-yard box that is booted away desperately by Thiago Silva. There will be six minutes of added time.

88 min Disasi is booked for something or other. Chong breaks down the left and cuts it back towards Adebayo, who fails to control an admittedly awkward ball. That was a chance.

The atmosphere at Kenilworth Road sounds amazing.

Ogbene’s chipped cross was met by Doughty, whose header was saved to his right by the diving Petrovic. But he pushed the ball out in front of goal instead of away, and Adebayo reacted quickest to head into the net from a couple of yards.

GOAL! Luton 2-3 Chelsea (Adebayo 87)

Oh. My. Days.

85 min: Morris hits the bar! Gallagher gives away a silly free-kick 30 yards from goal. Doughty, who has a lovely left foot, swings it to the far post, where Morris stoops to power a header towards goal. Petrovic touches it onto the bar, a marvellous reaction save, and Chelsea eventually gets the ball away.

83 min This game isn’t over. Ogbene’s deep cross is cushioned back into the six-yard box by Doughty. Barkley’s shot goes straight up in the air – that looked like a decent chance – and eventually Petrovic claims.

82 min “I don’t think Chelsea would have agreed to a buy-back clause in the Cole Palmer transfer,” says Kevin Wilson. “But even though City got a huge fee for a player with few starts under his belt, they have let one heck of a player go.”

Haven’t they just. I love how self-assured he is.

81 min: Chelsea substitution Enzo Fernandez replaces Noni Madueke, who had a decent game and scored the crucial second goal.

GOAL! Luton 1-3 Chelsea (Barkley 80)

Ross Barkley scores against his old club. He met Doughty’s dangerous inswinging corner from the right with a fine header, flicked across Petrovic and into the far corner.

80 min: Adebayo hits the bar! Barkley wanders over the right and curls a dangerous cross into the middle. Adebayo, six yards out, stoops to head the ball off the top of the crossbar. He should have scored.

78 min A tame shot from Barkley is easily saved by Petrovic.

78 min Mengi is booked for a late tackle on Colwill.

77 min Madueke blasts just over on the run after more good work from Jackson.

NO GOAL! Luton 0-3 Chelsea

Shame as it was nicely worked. Doughty’s excellent near-post cross was met by Adebayo, who flicked an accomplished header past Petrovic. But Doughty was offside in the build-up.

GOAL? Luton 1-3 Chelsea (Adebayo 74)

This might be disallowed for offside.

The goal was made superbly by Jackson, who turned Mengi in the centre circle and slid a through ball to Palmer. Kaminski flew out to narrow the angle superbly, but Palmer improvised ingeniously to score. He dragged his studs over the ball to take it round Kaminski, dummied a couple of defenders on the line and passed the ball gently into the net. That was a wonderfully cocky finish.

GOAL! Luton 0-3 Chelsea (Palmer 70)

Cole Palmer seals an excellent victory for Chelsea!

68 min Tahith Chong has been very good since coming on at half-time.

67 min Barkley zips forwards and plays a good pass to Chong on the left. He slides a wonderful low cross that rolls right across the face of goal and behind for a goalkick. Morris and Adebayo were on their heels; had either gambled they’d have had an open goal.

66 min Mengi stands on the back of Jackson’s boot, an unpleasant (though possibly accidental) challenge that might have brought a yellow card.

65 min For all their admirable endeavour, Luton still haven’t had a chance on target. Chelsea have had seven.

63 min: Luton substitution Carlton Morris on, Andros Townsend off.

62 min: Chelsea substitution Christopher Nkunku replaces Armando Broja.

61 min Jackson shuffles infield, beating three players before hitting a low drive from distance that is comfortably held by Kaminski.

59 min Petrovic takes an age over a goalkick, prompting affronted shouts from the home fans. Chelsea are managing an awkward game pretty well.

56 min Luton are starting to build up a head of steam. A goal soon wold make things exceedingly interesting.

53 min Doughty’s flat cross is chested down by Chong, who hooks a shot from the edge of the area that deflects behind off Thiago Silva. The corner is headed away by, yep, Thiago Silva. He’s having a fine game.

51 min Chelsea work a short corner to Palmer, who booms a long-range shot wide of the far post.

48 min A chance at both ends. Gusto’s cutback is crucially diverted away from Broja and Luton break. Townsend’s cross from the left bounces onto the right foot of Ogbene, whose stinging shot is really well blocked by Thiago Silva.

46 min Peep peep! Luton have made two half-time substitutions: Chiedozie Ogbene and Tahith Chong are on for Jacob Brown and Issa Kabore.

“Genuine question regarding VAR,” says Brendan Large. “When they have already stopped the game to assess an action, should they not be able to give a decision both ways? For example, in the first half play was stopped to check for a penalty against Colwill but the replay seemed to show Colwill himself being fouled. If Luton had scored from the resulting corner I’m sure there’d have been a lot of complaints and as I say the action is stopped anyway.”

While I take your point, that’s a can of worms I’d be very reluctant to open. I’d try to get the current system working properly before considering any expansion.

Half-time reading

Half time: Luton 0-2 Chelsea

Chelsea are in control at Kenilworth Road thanks to two emphatic goals from Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke. Luton have had an equal share of possession, but Chelsea have been better in both boxes.

45+4 min Gallagher’s long-range shot is blocked.

45+2 min Nicolas Jackson’s difficult first season continues when he is penalised for a foul throw.

45 min There will be five minutes of added time.

43 min No penalty.

42 min Doughty’s free-kick is headed behind by Thiago Silva. Doughty’s wicked inswinging corner breaks to Brown, whose close-range shot is desperately blocked.

There’s a VAR check for a potential penalty. There were certainly a few wrestling matches going on.

39 min Disasi muffs an excellent headed chance from Palmer’s free-kick, though he was miles offside.

Noni Madueke gets his second goal in as many games, and it’s a cracker. Colwill broke down the left and squared the ball to Palmer, who played a quick angled pass to find Madueke on the right edge of the area. Madueke used the overlapping Gusto by not using him, shifted the ball onto his right foot and thrashed a rising drive that beat Kaminski for pace.

GOAL! Luton 0-2 Chelsea (Madueke 37)

Pick that out!

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