Sam Dalling was at Stamford Bridge tonight. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night.
Rob Edwards gives Sky his verdict. “I don’t like losing … but there’s ways to lose … when our fans are like that, applauding us off, we’ve done something right … we knew we were up against a really good team … we were really brave and I’m really proud of the players … I’ve seen an improvement in the two weeks since Brighton … Chelsea were ruthless at the key moments and we weren’t … first half we were in the game, where we wanted to be … second half we started the better team … there was a 15-minute period when we had the territory … their detail was better than ours … we know there’s areas we can work on … football is difficult, especially at this level … we’ve shown we can compete in these last two games … we are going to try to do a little bit more business in the last few days [of the transfer window].”
Mauricio Pochettino speaks to Sky. “Really pleased … it was a very solid performance … it is important to provide the team the confidence and trust in the way we are doing things … the clean sheet was important too … we controlled the situations well, we didn’t concede too many chances … the performance was solid … it is the beginning and we need to work a lot at the way we want to play and our philosophy … we need to keep pushing … [Raheem Sterling] was amazing … an important contribution … he is a fantastic player … I am very pleased for him … [Nicolas Jackson’s goal] was really important … he is a young player from a different league … but the quality is amazing … no doubt he can be one of the greatest strikers in the Premier League.”
Player of the match Raheem Sterling, rejuvenated in short order under Mauricio Pochettino, speaks to Sky. “I was happy … we needed a win and I was happy to contribute to that … last season I was always a bit deep with my back to goal … I had a conversation with the gaffer and we’ve gone though the role … I need to get on the back foot and drive at players, and that’s when I’m most effective … I pulled out wide [for the goal] and tried to get myself in the box … in the first game against Liverpool I was in the pocket too much … last season I was too deep and playing the ball to the full backs … we had a simple conversation, he said it doesn’t matter where you play, if you’re dynamic and aggressive no-one can stop you … I’ve got the desire and hunger to do that … I’m 100 percent focus on scoring goals … my love of football is too much to fizzle out at the age of 28.”
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Chelsea were by far the better team and thoroughly deserved the win. It's their first victory in any competition at Stamford Bridge since a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last March. It’s been a while! Raheem Sterling was architect and artist, scoring two goals and setting up the other for Nicolas Jackson; Sterling’s first, an outrageous solo dribble, will surely be up there come goal-of-the-season time. For newly promoted Luton, it’s now two three-goal losses in two, but while nobody in white and orange will feel thrilled at the minute, there were enough signs of life to suggest they’ll be able to compete in the Premier League. Not too many teams will come away with anything from Brighton and Chelsea, after all. So while they may have dropped to the foot of the table tonight, their fans seem happy enough and give their players a fine reception to thank them for efforts that briefly – briefly, mind – threatened an equaliser midway through the second half. Onwards and upwards for both teams.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brighton | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| 2 | Man City | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 4 | Brentford | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 7 | West Ham | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 8 | Chelsea | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 10 | Aston Villa | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 11 | Nottm Forest | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 13 | Man Utd | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 14 | Fulham | 2 | -2 | 3 |
| 15 | AFC Bournemouth | 2 | -2 | 1 |
| 16 | Sheff Utd | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| 17 | Burnley | 1 | -3 | 0 |
| 18 | Wolverhampton | 2 | -4 | 0 |
| 19 | Everton | 2 | -5 | 0 |
| 20 | Luton | 2 | -6 | 0 |
FULL TIME: Chelsea 3-0 Luton Town
Chelsea end their nine-game winless streak at Stamford Bridge, and pick up their first three points under Mauricio Pochettino!
90 min +4: “Like dear Charlie I also missed my twin brother Tom nabbing in on the Pembridge love in,” writes David Hopkins. “For clarity, Pembridge laid the ball out left for Nicholson to cross for Kitson. Thanks bro!”
90 min +3: Sterling is named man of the match by Sky’s Jamie Carragher, and it’s not a decision you can argue with. He receives the ovation he deserves as he’s replaced by Mason Burstow.
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90 min +1: The first of four added minutes passes by.
90 min: Maatsen’s first act is a late clatter on Lockyer, the Luton player’s leg caught mid-clearance. Maatsen goes into the referee’s notebook.
89 min: … so saying that, Doughty picks up the pace and wins a corner down the right. Giles loops it in, forcing Sanchez to punch out in the uncertain style. Silva eventually tidies up the mess.
88 min: The game peters out slowly.
86 min: Chilwell is replaced by Maatsen.
85 min: … and this should have been 3-1. A speculative long ball is flicked on down the right by Morris. Colwill is caught dozing, and Brown nips in, only to loft his shot over Sanchez but also the bar.
84 min: Fernandez, who has been excellent tonight, feeds Chilwell down the left with a forensic pass. Chilwell cuts back for Gallagher, who sends a weak effort straight at Kaminski. That should have been four.
83 min: Jackson goes off to warm applause after his maiden goal. He’s replaced by Ugochukwu.
81 min: Ogbene is brought down by Gusto to the left of the Chelsea penalty box. The free kick is only half cleared. Doughty fires a cross into the mixer. It’s half cleared and Mpanzu juggles in the Le Tissier style on the edge of the D. He can’t get a shot away, though. Shame, because for a split second there, a picture-book goal looked a distinct possibility.
80 min: Luton were giving it a good go in search of an equaliser, but Sterling and Jackson’s double whammy has understandably taken all the wind out of their sail.
78 min: Brown slides in recklessly on Disasi, and at full speed to boot. It’s just a yellow, the Luton player fortunate that he’s only caught his opponent on the boot rather than the ankle. Actually, it’s Disasi who’s fortunate about that, isn’t it, and happily he gets up having suffered no damage.
76 min: Luton responded to shipping goal number two with a double substitution; they now respond to letting in number three with a triple change. Burke, Chong and Barkley make way for Ogbene, Mpanzu and Andersen.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Luton Town (Jackson 75)
Fernandez volleys a pass down the right for Sterling, who sends a low cross into the mixer. A small deflection off Bell that takes the ball out of Lockyer’s reach. Jackson slides in to whip home from close range. His first goal for Chelsea, and he’s deserved it tonight!
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74 min: Barkley, hoping to leave his calling card on his old stomping ground, hoicks the free kick harmlessly into the Shed End. “My dear friend Charlie is right,” confirms David Hopkins. “I was referring to Derby v Wednesday in the cup. He’s also right that the likes of Kitson and Pembridge cost a packet and achieved little, although the likes of Simpson and Gabbiadini did stick around for later success. Now, I intend to leave the score at 3-3 and stride expressionlessly back to the halfway line, affecting disinterest in my own achievements.”
73 min: Fernandez goes into the book for repeated fouling, having this time taken down an in-flight Morris. Free kick to Luton, 25 yards out.
72 min: Fernandez whips the free kick well wide of the left-hand post. Kaminski had it covered all the way. “I completely missed Tom Hopkins’ message at half time,” writes Charlie Robinson. “The mention of John Sheridan surely means we’re all referring to the FA Cup game at the Baseball Ground with Sheffield Wednesday that finished 3-3. Tom mentions Shane Nicholson - in that same game he scored a long range thunderbastard that, sadly, hit the underside of the bar before hitting Chris Woods on the back of the head and bouncing in. Standing on the Pop Side, it wasn’t obvious that it was an own goal at the time.”
71 min: Chong fouls Gallagher as the Chelsea midfielder makes good down the inside left. Chilwell squares up to Nakamba for very little reason. It all calms down quickly enough, and it looks as though Fernandez will take the resulting free kick.
70 min: Luton respond by making a double change. Off go Kabore and Adebayo, on come Doughty and Brown.
GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Luton Town (Sterling 68)
… but Chelsea come straight back at the Hatters. Sterling spins brilliantly away from Bell down the right. Bell nicks the ball back off him, but it rebounds to Caicedo, who slips a pass down the right for Gusto. The full back gets near the byline before cutting back for Sterling, who steers gracefully into the bottom left from eight yards!
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68 min: … and Adebayo to clear.
67 min: Jackson hasn’t stopped all evening and now he works his way down the right to win another Chelsea corner. Fernandez to take …
66 min: Jackson holds Chilwell’s long pass up before sending Sterling scampering into space down the right. Sterling enters the box before scuffing a weak shot across Kaminski and harmlessly out for a goal kick.
65 min: Chelsea, perhaps wisely, slow things down a little. As Jamie Carragher says on Sky, they could do with imposing some control here, because Luton clearly fancy their chances of an equaliser.
63 min: Sterling crosses low from the right. Chilwell meets it on the penalty spot and opts to shoot this time. His effort is blocked bravely by Burke, who takes a whack from Jackson for his trouble. He stays down for a moment but gathers himself up soon enough.
62 min: Meanwhile the Chelsea faithful have fallen a little quiet. At just 1-0, nothing’s certain yet, and that nine-game winless streak at the Bridge will have had an effect.
60 min: Both teams ping it around briskly. Suddenly Luton break down the right through Chong. His low cross is ushered across to Giles on the left via Morris, who takes a shot. It’s deflected and Sanchez is forced to stick out an arm to stop the ball looping over his head and in. Saved, but that’s Luton’s first effort on target, and their fans are giving it plenty now.
58 min: Lockyer is trying it on a bit now. He’s all over the back of Jackson as the two chase after a loose ball down the inside-left channel. It goes out of play and Jackson ends up face down near the hoardings. Lockyer was probably fortunate that Jackson stayed honest and didn’t go to ground earlier, or the referee might have had a penalty decision to make.
56 min: … then from the resulting throw out on the left, Luton fall asleep, allowing Fernandez to zip into the box and blooter wildly off target.
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55 min: Space for Sterling down the right. His low cross finds Fernandez at the far stick. Fernandez’s effort from a tight angle is parried away by Kaminski … or did it hit the post? It could have been the latter, you know.
54 min: Replays suggest Lockyer got lucky at one of those Chelsea corners, as during a grapple with Silva, he’d taken a cheeky fistful of his opponent’s shirt. The officials doing Luton a favour this time. What goes round, comes round, huh. Eh?
52 min: Thing is, before that Chelsea flurry, Luton had started the second half well. And now the visitors come again through Giles down the left. He’s got Morris in the middle but overhits the cross. He raises a hand of apology.
51 min: From the corner, Jackson pearls a shot goalwards from a tight-ish angle on the left. Kaminski parries out for another corner. Colwill heads harmlessly wide from that one.
50 min: Kabore over-elaborates and allows Chilwell to steal off down the inside left. Chilwell one-twos with Jackson and finds himself free on the penalty spot. But he inexplicably tries to find Sterling to his right, instead of shooting himself, and Bell is able to deflect out for a corner. It should be 2-0.
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48 min: Burke makes a determined run down the middle of the park and evades a couple of fairly weak Chelsea challenges. Morris takes the ball off his toe and has a dig from distance. The ball disappears into the dark of the Shed. He probably should have fed Kabore, in acres on the right, but hindsight’s always 20-20.
47 min: A fairly quiet start to the half, which is just as well because Charlie Robinson is back, this time with a message for Chelsea fans to boot. “I’m always delighted to make a new friend, and David Hopkins seems like just the kind of chap I’d get along with! I could be wrong, but David may be referring to the FA Cup game against Sheffield Wednesday. As for Paul Kitson, David is again entirely correct - and Chelsea fans might like to read this and take note. Back in the early ‘90s, under the ownership of Lionel Pickering, Derby paid a huge amount of money for Pembridge, Kitson, Craig Short, and many others. Some of these expensive signings did not give a toss, and we failed to get promotion. The moral of this story may shock many football fans, but paying huge sums of money for new players does not always lead to success. I’m giving you these insights for free.”
Luton get the second half underway. There have been no half-time changes on the field of play, but the Mark Pembridge Love-In has mutated into a love triangle. “I can see both Charlie Robinson and David Hopkins’ point of view vis à vis Mark Pembridge,” interjects Tom Hopkins. “I am, however reasonably sure that the assist for that Paul Kitson goal was provided by Shane Nicholson. From memory, our man’s job that night was to follow John Sheridan around like a lovesick teenager - which come to think of it rather suited his general demeanour.”
Half-time entertainment. Luton fans may be unhappy with the decisions tonight of referee Robert Jones, but hey, at least they don’t have to put up with this doofus.
HALF TIME: Chelsea 1-0 Luton Town
The whistle goes, and Raheem Sterling’s sensational solo goal is the difference at the break. Luton will be relatively pleased with their performance, though, and they grew into the game during the final minutes of the half. Meanwhile in the great Mark Pembridge Love-In debate, it’s Charlie Robinson 2-2 David Hopkins. More please, everyone!
45 min +2: Colwill’s speculative long pass down the left is needlessly shinned out for a corner by Lockyer. Thankfully for the Luton captain, nothing comes of the resulting set piece.
45 min: There will be two added minutes. “My new friend Charlie has hit on what I like to call the Pembridge Paradox,” counters David Hopkins. “As he says, Pembo had a habit of banging in a 20-yard free kick then walking calmly back to the halfway line, which tended to be taken as proof of his lack of commitment. Yet weirdly he’d lose the run of himself if a teammate scored - say Paul Kitson after a Pembridge assisted goal to put Derby 3-2 up in a cup quarter final. Now Paul Kitson - there’s a player who never gave a toss!”
44 min: Luton stroke it around the back in the manner of a team slowly growing in confidence. Suddenly a pass is sprayed down the right for Kabore, who can’t keep it in play. Goal kick.
42 min: Kabore and Burke take turns to make good down the Luton right. A corner. It’s whipped to the near post, where Burke flicks a header on. The ball flies over the bar, having taken a little nick off Chilwell, but Luton aren’t getting their second corner. Goal kick, and Luton are getting a little irritated with the referee.
41 min: Fernandez slides in and catches Chong on the ankle. Again the Luton players and fans want a yellow, again the referee shows Chelsea some leniency the visitors feel they’ve not been granted themselves. Just a wag of the finger.
39 min: Luton take their turn in passing the ball around the middle without going anywhere in particular. A lively match has slipped into a minor lull.
37 min: Chelsea ping it around in the sterile style. Meanwhile Charlie Robinson comes straight back at David Hopkins: “David’s message regarding Mark Pembridge (16 min) really made me chuckle. I have never seen a player look so impassive and disinterested when scoring a goal as Pembridge. Having said that, I do really enjoy seeing someone score and then simply jog back to their own half of the field without showing any emotion whatsoever, consolation goals notwithstanding. More of this, please - players shaking a couple of hands and not making too much of a fuss.”
35 min: Colwill’s loose pass gifts Luton the opportunity to probe down both flanks, but the home defence quickly gathers itself and holds its shape. No way through. Chelsea have been exhilarating in attack but on a couple of occasions they’ve betrayed the fact they’re very much a work in progress.
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33 min: Sterling stops Barkley taking a quick free kick in the centre circle and should really go into the book, but the referee thinks twice and, despite initially reaching for his pocket, lets it pass. Lockyer isn’t happy about it at all.
31 min: The resulting free kick, out on the right touchline, is triangulated down the right wing and hit long by Chilwell. The ball’s bundled out at the far stick. Corner. Chilwell takes, and the ball drops to Gusto, who slices a harmless effort high into the Shed.
29 min: Nakamba joins his captain in the referee’s notebook after an over-excited lunge on Gallagher from behind.
27 min: Gallagher sells Disasi short in the midfield. Adebayo strips him of possession and slides Morris into space down the left. Morris doesn’t have the pace to get past Colwill and there’s no chance of getting a shot away. Chelsea counter through Jackson, who is cynically tugged back by Lockyer. The Luton captain goes into the book.
25 min: A bit of space for Kabore down the right, but he shanks a poor cross into the Matthew Harding Stand. Worth saying that the Luton away end is making one hell of a racket this evening. The Hatters may be hot favourites to go down, but their fans have clearly decided to enjoy this unexpected ride whatever. Is there an item of clothing we can take off to salute them?
23 min: Fernandez is in a lively mood too, and he drives at the Luton defence before attempting to slip Jackson free down the left channel. Jackson takes a heavy touch and runs the ball out for a goal kick, but for a nanosecond there, Luton were exposed. “In the NBA when a player is dunked on in an embarrassing fashion the players will say that will end up on a poster,” writes Mary Waltz. “The way Sterling left those defenders in the dust with his run is the football equivalent of being posterized.”
21 min: Barkley rolls a pass down the left for Giles, whose low cross is shinned away by Silva. “Nice goal! Sterling looks in outstanding form so far tonight. Got me thinking. Both he and Jesus have definitely blossomed after leaving Pep. Do you think that is a Guardiola system thing? If so, how good is Haaland going to be when he eventually moves on? Yikes.” Joe Pearson there, in a mood to cause some trouble.
19 min: Luton had defended with determination up to that point … and yet to be honest the goal had been coming. Sterling and Jackson have been right on top of their games since the get-go. Chelsea already had 16 touches in the Luton box.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Luton Town (Sterling 17)
Raheem Sterling was Chelsea’s best player at West Ham last week, and he’s at it again here! He dribbles infield from the right in electric fashion. He shimmies his way between Giles and Barkley, then glides between Bell and Nakamba, and curls across Kaminski and into the bottom left! That is some solo effort.
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16 min: Giles works his way down the left and earns Luton’s first corner of the evening. He takes it himself but it’s easily bashed clear by Silva. Meanwhile the love-in’s back on! “I’m not sure Charlie Robinson (4 min) speaks for all Rams fans re. Mark Pembridge, who I remember quite fondly,” writes David Hopkins. “I do recall though that he had a weird habit of celebrating enthusiastically if a teammate scored but hardly at all if he himself did.”
15 min: Jackson is a menace every time he picks up possession. He tears down the left and slips infield for Colwill, who cushions a pass towards Fernandez. The Argentinian World Cup winner leans back and sends a shot towards the top left but inches over the bar. So close to the opener.
13 min: Fernandez catches Kabore with an elbow on the ear. Accidental but sore. Kabore is permitted some time to roll around rubbing his poor lug. He’s back up and running soon enough.
12 min: Chelsea have enjoyed 85 percent of possession so far. No huge surprise there, and yet Luton will be happy enough with their staunch performance during these early exchanges.
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10 min: Gallagher takes up possession just to the right of the Luton D. He drops a shoulder and makes space to shoot, but instead slips Sterling into the box down the channel. Sterling can’t get a shot away with Lockyer standing firm. Clever play by Chelsea, though.
8 min: Caicedo falls over his own feet and allows Chong to dribble off down the right. Chong makes it into the box before hitting a shot-cum-cross through the six-yard box.
7 min: What a save that was … though truth be told, Sterling really should have sent the net bulging.
6 min: Fernandez crosses from the right. Adebayo sticks up an arm to block and is lucky to escape censure. But it’s a free kick in a very dangerous position. Colwill curls it in. Bell’s poor clearing header drops to Sterling, in a pocket of space on the penalty spot. Sterling sends a screamer goalwards … but straight at Kaminiski, who takes the cannonball full in the midriff before holding on with safe hands.
5 min: More brilliance from Jackson, who dribbles elegantly down the inside-right channel before entering the box and laying off for Sterling, whose low drive from a tight angle is blocked. Chelsea come again and win the first corner of the match down the same flank. Fernandez takes but Morris gets just enough on his header to clear.
4 min: A cute flick in the centre circle from the extremely promising Jackson draws appreciative applause from the Chelsea crowd. But in less edifying news, it’s curtains for the Mark Pembridge love-in. Here’s Charlie Robinson: “I must say I’m really looking forward to seeing Ross Barkley back in the Premier League tonight. I’m not sure I’d go so far as to say that he’s one of the great lost hopes of English football - that might be a bit much - but when he was at his best for Everton, he was superb. As for Mark Pembridge, as a Derby fan, let’s just say we don’t remember his time with the Rams all too fondly. But, at the same time, I can’t think of another Premier League player who had such a long and undistinguished spell at the top level.”
2 min: A free kick for Luton out on the left. Giles hoicks it into the mixer. Sanchez powers a punch clear. How Luton will be wishing their on-looking legend Mick Harford was in the box competing for that.
8 secs: Chelsea go super-direct and look for Sterling on the edge of the Luton box. The ball breaks to Jackson, whose shot is blocked and ends up dribbling through to Kaminski.
Chelsea get the ball rolling. They’re kicking towards the Shed End in this first half.
The teams are out! Chelsea wear blue with no sponsor and shiny psychedelic raver lion – what’s not to like here? – while Luton sport their equally easy-on-the-eye second-choice white shirt with orange sash. Stamford Bridge en fête with a lovely mellow three-or-four-pints-in Friday night atmosphere. A quick blast of the Harry J All Stars, and we’ll be ready to rumble.
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Aston Villa 1-2 Luton Town, then, and Mark Pembridge’s thriker. “I was there,” begins Antony Train. “As a Villa fan. WOOF! One of only three opposition goals I’ve ever clapped. The day got even ‘better’: It was the first event at the NIA in Birmingham (Utilita now) that night so we went to see England v USA at basketball. England got absolutely pummelled and it was probably just High School kids from the US. I think it rained too.”
That is one heck of a precision pelt by Pembridge. Derek Mountfield’s own goal was properly roofed as well. This is one video well worth a quick watch.
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Chelsea haven’t won at Stamford Bridge in nine matches. It’s like Danny Blanchflower and Geoff Hurst never left office. Sort of. But it’s strange behaviour for the club in its all-conquering modern guise. Here’s that run, stretching back to March 18, in excruciating detail.
Chelsea 2-2 Everton
Chelsea 0-2 Aston Villa
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Chelsea 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Chelsea 0-2 Real Madrid
Chelsea 0-2 Brentford
Chelsea 2-2 Nottingham Forest
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle United
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
If it makes Chelsea fans feel any better, Luton’s winless away stretch in top-flight football is even worse. They’re winless in their last 27 (D6 L21), a run that goes all the way back to March 1991, when they saw off Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park thanks to a Derek Mountfield own goal and Mark Pembridge’s strike.
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Chelsea’s new boss Mauricio Pochettino talks to Sky. “It’s a matter of time to win games … we have shown good performances but not got the results we wanted … we need to improve in many phases to be competitive … we have plenty of young players … this is why it looks like a big squad but in reality it is not big … it’s an exciting moment … for sure this team has the quality and the capacity to win games … we are so happy [with Moises Caicedo] but at the same time we need to understand he arrived at the last moment and has only trained for ten days with the team, but he is a clever player and can fit quickly … it’s better for him to start than to come from the bench … we want [Raheem Sterling] to repeat the performance he showed at West Ham and to be consistent … now he needs to start to create the links with Nicolas Jackson for goals.”
Luton boss Rob Edwards speaks to Sky Sports. “We’ve seen the ruthless nature of the league … it doesn’t get much more difficult than Brighton away … up until 85 minutes, of course they had the better of the game but we were in it, 2-1 down, and made a change to go attacking … we gifted them a third goal, so one thing: no gifts … we’ve got to close spaces quicker … our intensity was up last year in the Championship but we’ve got to go up again at this level … we’ve got to be more ruthless when we do have moments to counter … I want us to evolve and grow … we’ll play to our strengths … it suits us, being the underdogs … the crowd will be expecting a comfortable Chelsea win so we have to play on that … [Ross Barkley and Tahith Chong] give us something different … you need a little x-factor, because I know we’re not going to have the ball the whole time … this is a nice place to give [Barkley] his debut tonight.”
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Chelsea make one change to the starting XI sent out for the 3-1 defeat at West Ham last weekend. The injured Carney Chukwuemeka is replaced by Moises Caicedo, who makes his full debut for the Blues. Mykhailo Mudryk misses out altogether after picking up a knock during the week.
Luton make two changes to the XI named for the 4-1 loss at Brighton on the opening weekend. Ross Barkley, formerly of Stamford Bridge, makes his Hatters debut while defender Reece Burke returns from injury. Mads Anderson and Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu make way and are benched.
The teams
Chelsea: Sanchez, Disasi, Thiago Silva, Colwill, Gusto, Caicedo, Fernandez, Chilwell, Sterling, Gallagher, Jackson.
Subs: Cucurella, Madueke, Ugochukwu, Maatsen, Burstow, Bergstrom, Humphreys, Beach, Moreira.
Luton Town: Kaminski, Burke, Lockyer, Bell, Kabore, Barkley, Nakamba, Chong, Giles, Morris, Adebayo.
Subs: Krul, Andersen, Ogbene, Berry, Woodrow, Mpanzu, Brown, Doughty, Johnson.
Referee: Robert Jones (Merseyside).
Preamble
The last time this fixture was played in the league, in August 1991, Vinnie Jones made his debut for Chelsea. Having signed from Sheffield United the day before, and gone on the radio to observe that his new team had plenty of players who would enjoy “a good punch-up in the tunnel”, he was welcomed enthusiastically by the Stamford Bridge faithful, and set up goals for Graeme Le Saux and Kerry Dixon in a 4-1 win. Jones even had a chance to score himself but, never prolific in front of goal, found himself “caught in 32 minds” and aimed for the corner flag instead. Phil Gray scored a consolation, Luton’s first goal of the season in their fifth match.
David Pleat’s side were always destined for relegation, though they did at least win the reverse fixture 2-0 at Kenilworth Road just after Christmas. Richard Harvey belted in a long-range free kick, then John Dreyer scored a penalty past a fuming Dave Beasant, convinced Mark Pembridge had gone over too easily to win it. And that was the last time Chelsea and Luton saw each other in top-flight football.
There have been dalliances in the FA Cup since, most notably a 1994 FA Cup semi-final in which Gavin Peacock scored twice against a Luton team now featuring the aforementioned Blues hero Dixon. And then there was this entertaining back-and-forth a couple of years ago, played out in the wake of Roman Abramovich announcing his plans to do one. So these two clubs know how to put on a show. Kick-off tonight is at 8pm BST. It’s on!
