Key events
18 min Barkley flashes the free-kick just over the bar. It was well struck but Petrovic probably had it covered.
17 min Brown is tripped just outside the area by Palmer, who might have been booked for that. The free-kick is to the left of centre, with Doughty and Barkley over it.
15 min Palmer’s really enjoyable himself in the No10 role. As well as the goal, he has played two or three lovely passes. It was his long pass that put Jackson through in the build-up to the goal.
It’s a horrible goal for Luton to concede. After Jackson had a close-range shot saved by Kaminski, Kabore played an awful pass straight to Palmer on the edge of the area. He took a touch, steaded himself and spanked an emphatic shot into the far corner. That was the finish of a player who does not want for class or confidence.
GOAL! Luton 0-1 Chelsea (Palmer 12)
He’s found the net this time!
10 min After more good possession for Chelsea, Palmer cracks a low drive from 20 yards that is comfortably saved by Kaminski.
8 min Chelsea have settled quite well and are having most of the possession.
5 min Madueke runs Doughty down the right, then chops back onto his left foot in the area and pokes the ball back towards the onrushing Gallagher. His crisp low drive is kicked away at the near post by Kaminski.
3 min As expected, Chelsea have started with Broja up front and Jackson playing from the left.
2 min Madueke concedes a cheap free-kick on the Luton left, which allows the big men to come forward. Doughty’s cross is headed away well by Disasi.
1 min Peep peep! Luton kick off from left to right as we watch.
A reminder of the teams
Luton (possible 3-4-2-1) Kaminski; Mengi, Osho, Bell; Kabore, Lokonga, Barkley, Doughty; Townsend, Brown; Adebayo.
Substitutes: Krul, Andersen, Ogbene, Morris, Woodrow, Chong, Mpanzu, Clark, Giles.
Chelsea (possible 4-2-3-1) Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Thiago Silva, Colwill; Gallagher, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Jackson; Broja.
Substitutes: Bettinelli, Bergstrom, Gilchrist, Maatsen, Matos, Enzo, Sterling, Mudryk, Nkunku.
Referee Paul Tierney.
Chelsea’s last league game at Kenilworth Road was on 28 December 1991. The prime minister John Major was in the crowd to see Richard Harvey score a beauty.
The pre-match thoughts of both managers
“It’s going to be a tough game and we know we’re going to face a team that are fighting and getting very good results here” 🤝
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is under no illusions about the challenges his side face up against Luton this afternoon…
🎙️ @julesbreach pic.twitter.com/9leilOfX13
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 30, 2023
Chelsea’s Premier League record in 2023
P42 W11 D12 L19 F50 A59 Pts 45. That’s fairly remarkable.
Alternative live action
There’s the peedie matter of Celtic v Rangers in Scotland, a game that suddenly feels very relevant to the title race. Dominic Booth is watching that one.
Team news
Issa Kabore replaces Ryan Giles at wing-back for Luton, the only change from their madcap win at Bramall Lane. That means Alfie Doughty will move from right wing-back to left.
Mauricio Pochettino has changed four of the XI that started Chelsea’s victory over Crystal Palace. Thiago Silva, Noni Madueke (who scored the winner from th bench), Cole Palmer and Armando Broja come in for Benoit Badiashile, Ian Maatsen, Christopher Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudryk.
It looks like a selection designed to win the game from the bench. Talking of which, Raheem Sterling, available again after suspension, is among the subs.
Luton (possible 3-4-2-1) Kaminski; Mengi, Osho, Bell; Kabore, Lokonga, Barkley, Doughty; Townsend, Brown; Adebayo.
Substitutes: Krul, Andersen, Ogbene, Morris, Woodrow, Chong, Mpanzu, Clark, Giles.
Chelsea (possible 4-2-3-1) Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Thiago Silva, Colwill; Gallagher, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Jackson; Broja.
Substitutes: Bettinelli, Bergstrom, Gilchrist, Maatsen, Matos, Enzo, Sterling, Mudryk, Nkunku.
Referee Paul Tierney.
Pre-match reading
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Luton v Chelsea in the Premier League. These teams will remember 2023 very differently. It’s been Luton’s greatest year since 1988 and Chelsea’s worst since, well, probably 1988. Their young side, on a run of four straight away defeats, are about to experience something completely different: the wintry chill of Kenilworth Road.
Luton were supposed to be relegation certainties, but the shrewd management of Rob Edwards has made them the most competitive of the promoted clubs so far. They are particularly difficult opponents on their own ground – ask Arsenal, or Liverpool, or Manchester City – and it’s a measure of their progress that a win today wouldn’t really be a shock. But it would probably be a fitting way to end the year, for both clubs.
Kick off 12.30pm.
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