That’s it from me. Thanks for your emails and tweets tonight. Until next time!
David Hytner's match report
Tom Lockyer, the Luton defender that had a cardiac arrest on the pitch earlier this season, is part of TNT’s coverage tonight as a pundit. He’s been really good, and spoke really nicely about the difficulty of marking Emile Smith Rowe’s double movement: coming short and then spinning behind.
Emile Smith Rowe talks to the cameras:
It’s been a tough season but I’m delighted. It’s been a while since I started. I was getting cramp after 50 minutes. We’re happy with the three points, performance wasn’t amazing.
I’ve been training really hard. It’s been tough. It’s hard to get minutes. I just had to keep a calm head. I’m happy with your performance overall. Being at home, the fans really helped me. I’ve been getting so much support from the staff, it’s like a family. I feel really at home here.
I’ve been here since nine years old. To come off to a standing ovation, it was amazing tonight for me. That’s surprising! (to get the MoM award)
They drew a blank tonight but Luton have not had a problem scoring goals this season. They have scored more than Manchester United. It’s the ones they are letting in that leave Luton in the relegation zone.
Luton had the Premier League's longest ongoing scoring streak before tonight's match...
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 3, 2024
... and then they met the league's leading defence 🧤#ARSLUT pic.twitter.com/KYIOlmH0hA
Some Arsenal news (from the women’s game).
One other result to tell you about. It finished Brentford 0-0 Brighton. An absolute classic in west London, I’m told.
Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard speaks to the cameras: “We knew what we had to do. We played well. We know Luton are a tough opponent. We wanted to win our duels and hurt them in behind. Everyone showed that they can play and make it hard for the manager. Confidence levels are really high. Brighton will be a tough game, we have to recover now. Today there were five changes and everyone did their job. We need competition.”
That table is a live one, remember. Manchester City are currently beating Aston Villa 2-1, which you can follow here. They will need to maintain that lead to keep up with Arsenal and Liverpool.
This is the table, then. Arsenal go back to the top, with Liverpool due to play tomorrow evening against Sheffield United at Anfield.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 30 | 48 | 68 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 29 | 40 | 67 |
| 3 | Man City | 30 | 36 | 67 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 31 | 19 | 59 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 30 | 18 | 57 |
| 6 | Man Utd | 29 | 0 | 48 |
| 7 | West Ham | 31 | -5 | 45 |
| 8 | Newcastle | 30 | 12 | 44 |
| 9 | Brighton | 30 | 5 | 43 |
| 10 | Wolverhampton | 30 | -4 | 42 |
| 11 | AFC Bournemouth | 30 | -9 | 41 |
| 12 | Chelsea | 28 | 2 | 40 |
| 13 | Fulham | 31 | -3 | 39 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 30 | -16 | 30 |
| 15 | Brentford | 31 | -13 | 28 |
| 16 | Everton | 30 | -11 | 26 |
| 17 | Nottm Forest | 31 | -14 | 25 |
| 18 | Luton | 31 | -21 | 22 |
| 19 | Burnley | 31 | -34 | 19 |
| 20 | Sheff Utd | 29 | -50 | 15 |
Full-time: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Three Premier League points for the Gunners.
90+3 min: Looks like Trossard has taken a nasty knock under a high ball. He’s clutching his back. Looks like Kabore gave him a knee. Not what Arteta wants in the closing stages here.
90+2 min: The game is won. Luton are not offering a threat.
90 min: Four minutes of added time.
Updated
88 min: Kaminski gets down well to push an Nketiah strike behind. It was a sneaky one, well saved.
87 min: Doughty races clear of White and gets to the byline. Again, it’s a floated cross rather than a driven one and Hashioka flashes a shot at goal, but Gabriel is there to make yet another block. What a defender he has become, always seems to be in the right place at the right time.
85 min: Smith Rowe comes off to an ovation. He’s a real favourite among Arsenal fans and has played well tonight on his first start since January. On comes Jorginho.
82 min: I wonder if Arsenal will sign a striker in the summer. Havertz has been such a success as a false nine in recent weeks that it would seem strange to upset the apple cart. Gabriel Jesus is a fine back up. I wonder if Nketiah will get a move. There was a brief period last season where he made the position his own, but the youngster has slipped back in the pecking order and will surely be sold if Arsenal do sign another forward.
80 min: Tomiyasu bends one! Not words I thought I would be typing tonight. Trossard and Nketiah combine well down the left flank and the ball is worked back to Tomiyasu on the edge, but the Japanese international curls it a yard or two wide. Kaminski was scrambling!
78 min: If Luton do go down, imagine there will be a few takers for Alfie Doughty. Industrious, tidy and has a lovely left foot. Can play anywhere on the left flank. I like him.
Updated
75 min: Two more Arsenal changes: Martinelli and Kiwior on for Nelson and Zinchenko.
Luton also make a change: Woodrow, a striker, on for Onyedinma, who was a makeshift right back tonight. Looks like Luton are going for it, then.
74 min: Onyedinma is booked for holding back Nketiah on what could have been a dangerous Arsenal counter-attack.
73 min: Manchester City lead Aston Villa. It’s just about half-time in that one.
71 min: Luton look by far the more likely to score next. Onyedinma is the next to put a dangerous cross into the box, but Gabriel is there to block. Odegaard is urging his team to keep their shape.
69 min: Chong, who has made a real difference since coming on, slips in Doughty down Luton’s left. But it’s a poor cross! Floated not whipped and Zinchenko is able to clear things up at the far post. A really good move from Luton. The game is not yet won.
Updated
67 min: Arsenal immediately make two subs: Partey off for Rice, the booked Havertz off for Nketiah. I’m surprised that Arteta has brought Rice on instead of Jorginho.
65 min: Havertz is booked for diving. Replays show that the card is thoroughly deserved.
62 min: “On the subject of Zinchenko, I agree about his performance tonight but more generally I feel he’s almost in the Alexander-Arnold category of being brilliant stepping forward but defensively suspect,” emails Adam Klineschoder. “I know he plays in midfield for Ukraine and the only reason I can think of why Arteta doesn’t follow suit is Zinchenko having a few yards of extra space when starting deeper.”
Not sure you can put him at TAA’s level, although I appreciate the point about him being better going forward. That said, he’s been careless with the ball tonight.
60 min: Another dangerous free-kick for Luton, about 30 yards out. This does seem like their best route back into this game. Doughty is over it, but he looks like he’s going to cross, rather than shoot. Yep, it’s a cross to the back post, but Saliba is there to flick it away. Maybe scrap that idea of taking off the French centre back off.
57 min: I wonder how long Arteta will leave Odegaard on the pitch, with Vieira on the bench. There’s also an argument to take off White (for Tomiyasu), Havertz (for Nketiah), maybe even Gabriel for Kiwior?
55 min: Arsenal have a decent shout for a free-kick turned away by Craig Pawson, with Chong appearing to catch Nelson right on the edge of Luton’s box. The referee waves play on.
53 min: An attacking substitution for Luton: midfielder Mpanzu off, winger Chong on. That will mean a tactical shuffle for Luton. Remember, Mpanzu gave the ball away for Arsenal’s first goal. Chong scored a good goal against Tottenham at the weekend.
50 min: Zinchenko, save for a good interception in the first half from Clark’s cross, has been poor tonight. Looks miles off it defensively and has lost possession needlessly on three separate occasions. I suspect Arteta will be quietly fuming.
48 min: “Hashioka seems like a really good player, but I’m not sure he’s entirely vibing with the rest of the Hatters’ defense yet, as much as he works his socks off,” emails Kári Tulinius. “If he gets on same wavelength as the rest of his team, Luton will have a real asset on their hands, though it might be in the Championship.”
Not sure if I agree that he’s looked a really good player on tonight’s performance, and not just because of the own goal. Appreciate that he’s normally a right back playing at centre back, but he’s already been nutmegged by Trossard and looked a little lost defensively. Still, he’s a Japan international, so no mug. Arsenal away is a tough task for any defender.
46 min: Nelson makes a neat break up the right, leaving two Luton defenders in his wake before Kabore leans on him and wins the ball back. That was the Arsenal midfielder’s first real foray forward with the ball at his feet. More of that, please.
Peeeeeeeep! We’re off again in north London.
Two goals at the Etihad! But for who (Geoff Shreeves voice), Taha?
Half-time reading:
It’s also goalless in City’s game with Aston Villa, which kicked off at 8.15pm BST.
Half-time score: Brentford 0-0 Brighton.
Updated
Half-time: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Smooth sailing for the Gunners.
45+6min: … a comfortable save for Raya. A poor effort from Barkley in truth.
45+5 min: Partey tries a nutmeg in midfield but instead loses the ball in his own half. Luton break forward and Saliba fouls Clark in a dangerous area, just outside Arsenal’s area. Barkley over the ball, 25 yards out …
45+3 min: A word for Smith Rowe, who set up the first goal with an important tackle, and got the assist for the second goal with a smart run in behind, before a clever cut back. An excellent first half for the Englishman.
45 min: Four minutes added on here. This is going perfectly to plan for Arsenal, who shouldn’t need to bring on Rice, Martinelli, Kiwior, Jorginho or any other regular starters in the second half.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Luton (Hashioka og 44)
Is that game over? Smith Rowe darts to the byline, pulls the ball across goal towards Nelson, but Luton defender Hashioka inadvertently kicks the ball into his own net from close range!
Updated
42 min: From the corner, Partey so nearly prods the ball in! Trossard’s shot is deflected into Partey’s path, but Doughty just gets back to toe the ball out!
Updated
41 min: Ben White rolls his man in central midfield with all the grace of Prime Zizou, before releasing Havertz, who forces Kaminski into another save. Luton again do well to react fastest and clear for a corner.
38 min: Partey, on his first start since August, has been tidy at the base of Arsenal’s midfield, while Smith Rowe has also impressed. Nelson, however, has been rather anonymous on the right wing.
35 min: Arsenal nearly double their lead! A neat reverse pass from Partey slips in Trossard, who in turns slips in Smith Rowe! ESR has a shot saved by Kaminski and with the goal gaping there is an almighty scramble for the ball on the six-yard line. Mengi makes a brilliant block on Odegaard, and Luton hack it away.
33 min: Sloppy error between Gabriel and Zinchenko allows Kabore to get in down the right. Gabriel makes a good tackle to win the ball back and holds his hands up in apology to his teammates.
31 min: TNT Sports (UK broadcaster) are apparently trialling a new camera angle, one that moves with play down the touchline. It’s not to everyone’s liking.
“I thought the trend of players cutting holes in their socks would be the most irritating development this season but BT’s moving camera nonsense trumps it,” emails Ronan O’Brien. “Heads must roll. The camera should not.”
29 min: Luton have looked a lot sharper since going behind. We all know the quality of delivery that Townsend has on that right wing, he has flashed a couple of dangerous crosses in. So far, Arsenal’s defence has dealt with things, although Raya was forced to make a save from Morris.
26 min: Such a poor goal to give away from Luton’s point of view. The visitors looked really strong in their defensive formation without the ball, but were completely out of shape there when Mpanzu lost the ball. Credit to Smith Rowe, who was tenacious for Arsenal in midfield on the high press.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Luton (Odegaard 24)
Relief sweeps around the Emirates! Smith Rowe picks the pocket of Mpanzu in midfield and suddenly Arsenal break. It’s two on two: Havertz and Odegaard exchange passes and the latter smashes home a shot from just inside Luton’s area. Kaminski was perhaps unsighted but it was a fine low effort inside the near post.
Updated
22 min: “Between Gorgeous Gooner Mikel Arteta and Hunky Hatter Rob Edwards this match up is very easy on the eyes”, emails Peter Oh.
Updated
20 min: Lovely Cruyff turn from Trossard, who floats a cross towards Havertz, but Mengi makes a good header away.
18 min: Arsenal are far from fluid. The Emirates crowd is a nervy one.
16 min: Ross Barkley glides past two challenges, draws the third and releases Clark down Luton’s left. Clark cuts the ball back when he should really have dribbled through the open space to the byline. Zinchenko cuts out the Clark pass.
14 min: Havertz has on a couple of occasions broken forward with the ball and checked back when he might have gone for goal. On each occasion the move has broken down as retreating Luton players have swarmed back.
11 min: A break in play while Kaboré breaks his fast for Ramadan. Both teams also take fluids on board.
8 min: Luton play out from the back and come unstuck. Havertz’s shot earns Arsenal a corner. Nobody has scored more from corners (13 goals) this season. Odegaard takes it short and sets up Zinchenko for a long rangers, but Doughty makes a great block!
6 min: Not a shock to see Luton go to a back five when they don’t have the ball. It will be up to Arsenal to find the half spaces and break down the low block. A big shift in tactics from Sunday.
4 min: Nelson looks up for it, lively coming in from Arsenal’s right wing. What an opportunity this is for him.
Updated
2 min: Cagey start from both sides. Gabriel is lucky to get a free kick when tussling with Morris. Could easily have gone the other way.
Peeeeeeeeeep! Peeeeeeeeeep! And we’re off at the Emirates.
Two more Luton players to highlight tonight.
Mpanzu starts. His is an amazing story if you don’t know.
Also: Christian Chigozie, who turned 16 just last month, is on the bench.
An email from Charles Antaki:
“Emile Smith Rowe! Excellent news for the Arsenal faithful, who still relish seeing another likeable Academy player make the grade, though admittedly time seems to be running out for this one. Reiss Nelson is a more difficult case to diagnose: he’s played more often, to be sure, but that’s just meant he’s been more visibly underwhelming more often (leaving aside his winning goal against Bournemouth last year). After Sunday’s 0-0 to the Arsenal, a chance for them both to shine against more biddable opposition. If not, the door outwards creaks open a little further.”
I’m not convinced that either will be sold in the summer, despite the strange FFP laws which seem to encourage the sales of home-grown players. Both ESR and Nelson are excellent squad options, and seem to be happy(ish) with their lot at the moment. The importance of a harmonious squad will not be lost on Arteta. I would expect Partey and possibly Vieira to leave before those two, but what do I know?
Should be pointed out to Arsenal fans that both Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne are on Manchester City’s bench.
Arteta on Saka’s absence tonight.
🚨🏴 Arteta: “Bukayo Saka had to come off against City three days ago feeling something and he hasn't been able to do everything that we needed to give him the chance to start the game”.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 3, 2024
“So we have decided not to play him”, told TNT — via @sr_collings. pic.twitter.com/O1uKFlVHOL
This is not the only Premier League match going on tonight of course. I’ll keep you abreast of the action at Brentford v Brighton (also a 7.30pm BST kick-off) and then there is the small matter of Manchester City v Aston Villa, which has a later kick-off of 8.15pm BST. You can follow the latter here with Taha Hashim.
Hunky Rob Edwards, Luton’s manager, has been talking to the TNT cameras.
It’s difficult when you’re not getting results. We have unprecedented injuries. But confidence is high, considering. We want to compete tonight. We can never guarantee a result. We’re bare bones. Alfie Doughty is fit though, he has been a key player for us all season.
Edwards claimed in the lead up to tonight’s match that his side are missing 13 first-team players to injury. Eeeeesh.
Two players that must have been close to an England recall in the March friendlies were Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who has been in fine form for Milan (scoring at the weekend too) and Luton’s Ross Barkley, who has been sensational all season. Luton have a cracking chant for him, too, to the tune of Chaka Khan’s ‘Ain’t nobody’.
Ain’t nobody, like Ross Barkley …
1,358 - Reiss Nelson is making his first Premier League start since July 2020 against Liverpool, 1,358 days (3 years, 263 days) ago. Only Mathieu Flamini (5y 162d) and Sol Campbell (3y 296d) have ever had longer gaps between starts for Arsenal in the competition. Recess. pic.twitter.com/gLjuItvClz
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 3, 2024
It’s been a rough start to Luton life for Daiki Hashioka, who joined the club in January from Belgian side Sint-Truidense. The Japan international has lost all but one of his five Hatters matches so far, and the right back will likely have to battle Leandro Trossard tonight, with Gabriel Martinelli lurking on the bench. Here’s what he had to say before tonight’s match:
“I knew the standard of the Premier League would be very high before coming here but I am enjoying every minute of it. Although we’ve got lots of injuries, if we could win against Arsenal, it would give us a huge boost going into the next match against Bournemouth, so we need to keep our confidence high.”
The games comes thick and fast at this stage of the season. City was Sunday. Luton today. Brighton on Saturday. Bayern next Tuesday. Of all the games to rest Saka and Rice, this feels like the right one. Gunners fans will hope that the squad rotation doesn’t bite Arteta in his arse.
Meanwhile, in Turkey … ya Gunners yaaaaaaa.
💪 Mesut Özil in the gym 😳 pic.twitter.com/KccoN5RvIu
— DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) April 3, 2024
The teams!
Rice on the bench! No Saka in the squad! Smith Rowe makes his first start since January! Partey makes his first start since August! Nelson makes his first league start of the season! Now then!
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Partey, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Havertz, Trossard.
Subs: Ramsdale, Gabriel Jesus, Martinelli, Nketiah, Kiwior, Tomiyasu, Jorginho, Vieira, Rice.
Luton: Kaminski, Hashioka, Mengi, Kabore, Townsend, Mpanzu, Barkley, Doughty, Clark, Onyedinma, Morris.
Subs: Shea, Berry, Woodrow, Chong, Krul, Johnson, Nelson, Piesold, Chigozie.
Updated
Preamble
With the possible exception of Sunday at the Etihad, every game feels must-win at the moment for Arsenal. And this feels like possibly the most winnable game of the season, at home to one of the weakest teams in the division, a struggling side who themselves are woefully out of form.
Equally, this is exactly the sort of game that Arsenal could fumble, just as they did last year. Almost exactly a year ago, Arsenal blew their title chances with three successive draws, twice blowing 2-0 away leads at Liverpool and West Ham, before a 3-3 home draw with a doomed Southampton side ended all hope of catching Manchester City.
The latter result feels pertinent here. Underestimate Luton, as Arsenal nearly did in the return fixture at Kenilworth Road in which Declan Rice scored an injury-time winner in a 4-3 win, and they have the smarts and the spirit to punish even the best sides.
Luton are on a rotten run of form – without a win since January – but in the intervening 10 matches have only lost by more than one goal on three occasions. They have been in most matches. It would be a surprise if Arsenal didn’t win this, but it would also be surprising if this was a walkover. Let’s see.
Kick-off: 7.30pm BST.
