When it was over the beaten players of Luton Town lingered for a few minutes, marched around the pitch and made sure to thank the crowd for their magnificent support. The home fans had done everything to make Kenilworth Road’s first taste of the Premier League an occasion to remember, keeping the volume high from start to finish, and it would have been quite something if Carlton Morris had taken a late chance to equalise moments before Kurt Zouma scored the goal that carried West Ham back to the top of the table.
Unfortunately for Luton their big night would end with another lesson about the harsh reality of life at the highest level. West Ham punched through with fleeting moments of quality, Jarrod Bowen putting them ahead after meeting a lovely cross from Lucas Paquetá shortly before half-time, and stayed resilient during a testing second half. Luton, who remain pointless after three games, simply lacked the flair to hurt tough, experienced opponents.
