That’s all from me. Here’s the match report again. Bye!
Here are Rob Edwards’ thoughts:
Right now I feel disappointed. We had to win this game. We’re still in this fight. But we gave everything to try and win it. I’m tinged with disappointment right now because the three points were huge tonight.
Certainly. It’s been that way for a while now. You can’t guarantee winning at any level, never mind the Premier League. Well done to Everton, I thought they played well. But we showed a lot of character, quality at times as well. It was almost, and we’ve had a lot of those this year.
It doesn’t look great for Luton, in terms of survival, but for them to even be in the conversation in May is unexpected. They’ve had everything against them this season, but they’ve approached it the right way and made plenty of friends. It won’t be much of a consolation if they do go down, but it’s something.
“I’ve always said this about holding shirts, you’ve got to know when to let go,” says Jamie Carragher of the penalty incident. Gary Neville then demonstrates the limits of acceptable interference by repeatedly barging Carragher.
Here’s Elijah Adebayo’s post-match thoughts:
"We've got to rest and recover now..."
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 3, 2024
Elijah Adebayo shares his post-match thoughts after securing a crucial point against Everton 💪 pic.twitter.com/Us6npV2TNl
Updated
Here’s Jacob Steinberg’s match report from Kenilworth Road:
Every point counts, but this one is unlikely to be enough for Luton Town. When the story of the 2023-24 Premier League season comes to be told, it is likely that they will look back with regret when they remember the night when they failed to find a way past a negative, limited Everton side.
Of course, nobody inside Kenilworth Road could quibble with the level of Luton’s spirit and desire. There was also a lovely equalising goal from Elijah Adebayo, whose strike cancelled out Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s early opener, and there were periods when Rob Edwards’s team looked capable of breaking Everton down. The pressure was relentless during the second half. Tahith Chong, who never stopped running, was outstanding.
Yet the awkward fact facing Luton is that this failure to beat Everton, whose safety is already assured, makes it one win from 15 games and meant they missed a chance to go out of the bottom three. They are level on points with Nottingham Forest, who have a superior goal difference, but it is hard to see a way out. Forest can go three points clear when they visit Sheffield United.
Much more here:
The key fixtures in the relegation scrap:
Luton Town
11 May: West Ham (a)
19 May: Fulham (h)
Nottingham Forest
4 May: Sheffield United (a)
11 May: Chelsea (h)
19 May: Burnley (a)
Burnley
4 May: Newcastle (h)
11 May: Tottenham (a)
19 May: Nottingham Forest (h)
The bottom of the table looks like this. It is ever so close, but Luton remain 18th.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Brentford | 35 | -8 | 35 |
| 17 | Nottm Forest | 35 | -20 | 26 |
| 18 | Luton | 36 | -29 | 26 |
| 19 | Burnley | 35 | -32 | 24 |
| 20 | Sheff Utd | 35 | -63 | 16 |
Final score: Luton 1-1 Everton
90+8 mins: And nearly a last-second goal! The ball drops to Townsend, whose low shot from the edge of the area is on its way in, with Pickford nowhere, until Branthwaite throws out a leg to deflect it wide. And that’s the last kick of the game!
90+7 mins: That’s headed away too, but then Sambi Lokonga is fouled and Luton have what is surely now a final chance, from a left-wing free kick.
90+7 mins: Close! Berry’s overhead hit is on target, but hits a defender before the net. Another corner!
Updated
90+6 mins: Woodrow crosses, Berry flicks on, and Pickford turns wide. Another corner, and Kaminski is going up for it.
90+5 mins: A low, feeble 25-yarder from Mengi is picked up by Pickford. There’ll probably be a bonus minute of stoppage time because of those corner-based shenanigans.
90+4 mins: Luton win a free-kick, just inside their own half. Rob Edwards waves everyone up, and Kaminski takes it long. Everton win the header.
90+3 mins: The refere blows his whistle as the ball comes in and has a word with Sambi Lokonga. Then Andre Gomes is booked for complaining about something, a development which he complains about.
90+2 mins: The more desperate they have been to score, the less they have looked like scoring. They are currently extremely desperate, and Everton have a corner.
90+1 mins: There will be six minutes of stoppage time, of thereabouts.
87 mins: Another Luton sub: Chong goes off, and Luke Berry comes on.
85 mins: Woodrow hits a shot well over the bar from an unlikely distance. Time is running out, and those kinds of efforts are a sign of desperation rather than ambition.
84 mins: Everton break, they play the ball into space down the left and Beto gets to it, tries to run straight through Osho and falls over. At one point Osho did have a fistful of shirt, but he didn’t seem to tug it and the referee fails to find a foul.
Updated
83 mins: Now Barkley stings Pickford’s palms with a 25-yarder, which is firmly struck but too close to the keeper.
81 mins: Everton have played poorly in the second half, but for all Luton’s corners and greater attacking commitment Pickford hasn’t had to do much, while Kaminski has had to make two excellent saves.
79 mins: A substitutional pause, as both goalscorers leave the field. For Everton Calvert-Lewin and Gueye go off, Beto and Chermiti come on. Luton bring Andros Townsend on, and take Adebayo off.
77 mins: Super stop! Everton attack, and from a right-wing cross McNeil heads back to Calvert-Lewin, who leaps high above two defenders and thumps a header goalwards, but Kaminski turns it over the bar!
Updated
76 mins: Another Luton corner, their fifth of the half. It falls to Barkley, who thumps a shot into a defender’s legs.
74 mins: Chong has the ball on the right, with Woodrow running through the middle and Edebayo completely unmarked further left. He tries to find the former, overhits his pass, and Pickford collects.
71 mins: Luton bring Woodrow on for Onyedinma. They need to score at least once while not conceding, and they’ve got 20 minutes to do it.
69 mins: Everton go close now! Harrison’s shot deflects off Osho and loops towards the top corner, but Kaminski turns it past the post!
Updated
67 mins: Another Luton corner, this one conceded by Harrison, who throws out a boot just as Doughty appears to have escaped him. Everton bring Coleman on for Young before it’s taken.
66 mins: Tarkowski heads the corner away but it’s worked back to Doughty and this time he finds the head of Barkley, who heads over the bar. And probably a bit wide of it as well.
65 mins: Chong wins another corner. The law of averages might decide to get involved soon.
63 mins: Luton win a free-kick, but again their cross is cleared.
62 mins: Now the home side have a corner. The volume from the crowd goes up a notch. The corner is cleared, but Luton are having a moment.
60 mins: Luton work space well, but Onyedinma’s cross isn’t good enough and Everton clear.
57 mins: Everton appear to have been told at half-time that they should calm down a bit.
54 mins: Everton take Doucoure and Garner off, and bring Onana and Andre Gomes on.
54 mins: From the free-kick Doughty crosses, and Mengi heads over.
53 mins: Chong is tripped from behind by Gueye. Just before the contact Chong gave the ball away, but just after it Luton had a free-kick, and Gueye a yellow card.
51 mins: Osho nudges the ball onto his right foot and shoots wide, but close enough for Pickford to fling himself at it just to be sure.
Updated
49 mins: Luton eventually do get the ball into the penalty area, but the only thing seriously threatened is Ashley Young’s head, after Morris heads that rather than the ball.
47 mins: Neither penalty area has been threatened yet.
46 mins: Peeeeep! Everton start the second half.
The players are on their way back out already. Andros Townsend has been warming up at half-time, and if he isn’t being introduced quite yet it surely won’t be long.
I think the answer to this question is: not very, because the ball wasn’t going in, and if he’d missed it Everton would have had a goal kick.
How crucial will that Ben Godfrey goalline clearance be? ⛔️ pic.twitter.com/5hPhioOxad
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 3, 2024
Half time: Luton 1-1 Everton
45+6 mins: Just before the break Doughty sends in another good cross from the left, which is headed down and then cleared by Godfrey. Everton run down the other end, but the attempted pass to Calvert-Lewin is overhit, and runs out of play. And that’s the end of half one!
45+4 mins: Morris has a shot that zips narrowly wide of the far post. It’s been a very open game, this. Flashes of good play, but both teams wasting no time in getting the ball forward.
45+2 mins: Harrison’s cross is deflected headed by Mengi into the back of Osho, and deflects just wide of goal!
45+1 mins: The first of six minutes’ stoppage time, and Doughty’s shot is easily saved by Pickford. It’s the first shot on target that hasn’t gone in.
44 mins: The free-kick is pumped into the penalty area, headed down and Tarkowski sends it squirming across the six-yard area, from where it’s booted clear.
43 mins: Chong is booked for tripping Godfrey.
41 mins: Another Everton attack ends with Harrison – this time he overhits his cross and it bounces out of play for a throw-in.
38 mins: This is fun. Harrison’s left-footed curler from the right-hand corner of the area goes wide of the far post.
35 mins: Doughty’s corner from the left is headed away, and then Osho’s cross from the right is caught by Pickford.
32 mins: That was a simple but properly good goal: an excellent pass, a perfectly-timed run, and superbly converted.
91% - The success rate from penalties in the Premier League this campaign is higher than in any other season in the history of the competition. Nerve. pic.twitter.com/lvoypDvR4Z
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 3, 2024
GOAL! Luton 1-1 Everton! (Adebayo, 31 mins)
The home side draw level! It’s an excellent ball into the area, and Adebayo chests it down as Young in front of him jumps, misses it and falls over. Adebayo then swivels and powers a left-foot shot past Pickford!
Updated
28 mins: Luton’s best moment of the game! Doughty crosses from the left, Morris at the far post decides to nod it down rather than go for goal, and … well, that’s where it ends. But it was good while it lasted.
GOAL! Luton 0-1 Everton (Calvert-Lewin, 24 mins)
Calvert-Lewin sidefoots it straight down the middle. Kaminski got a bit of his left boot to the ball, but couldn’t keep it out.
Updated
23 mins: Ashley Young has the ball, but just as it looks like he’s about to take the penalty he hands it to Calvert-Lewin and runs away!
Penalty to Everton!
23 mins: The referee is convinced. It’s pretty hard to argue with it, that kind of nonsense is not allowed.
22 mins: This is particularly galling because the ball went nowhere near either of them. Though of course it might have gone closer to Branthwaite had he been allowed to run towards it.
Updated
22 mins: That is a proper bearhug, and the referee’s been sent to his screen to have a look at it.
21 mins: VAR is looking at another potential issue – Everton took a corner and as it came in Branthwaite went down, with Mengi’s arms around him.
19 mins: Everton threaten again – Kaminski pushes the ball away after McNeil’s cross is turned towards him by a defender, and then Garner’s shot from the edge of the area is blocked.
18 mins: Garner pings in a lovely-looking hard, curling cross for Everton, but it’s headed behind by a defender.
16 mins: No penalty. Mengi didn’t make much contact on either ball or player.
15 mins: Dwight McNeil goes down in the Luton penalty area, as Mengi tries to poke the ball away. The referee isn’t impressed, but VAR is having a peek.
Updated
12 mins: It’s been a promising start for Luton, who have attacked with a bit more vim than their opponents. A bit too much vim in the latest case, with Ashley Young on the floor as Carlton Morris runs towards goal and the referee blowing his whistle.
9 mins: Chong has been popping up all over the place, and now he hares into the Everton half, just right of centre, until Garner brings him down. That’s a booking.
5 mins: Tarkowski tries to shepherd the ball back to Pickford but Chong nips in, nudges the ball away and then goes down. If Pickford brought him down it’ll be a penalty, but perhaps not a red card because the ball was heading out of play. But he didn’t.
4 mins: Everton are clad entirely in grey. It’s hard to be inspired by a team in grey. Or anything else that’s grey, really. I like grey herons.
Updated
2 mins: Chong gets a couple of crossing opportunities: the first is sent low, straight to a defender. The second is sent high, straight to a defender.
1 min: Peeeeep! Luton get the game started.
“Ashley Young’s made at least 700 club appearances in all comps and I’d guess at least 500 league appearances,” writes Luke Nicholas. You’re quite right, it’s 650 not 450 league games for the lad.
The players are on their way out. Football imminent.
Updated
I fear this might be one of those games that are much more exciting in prospect than in actuality. I’ve been looking forward to it because I quite like both of these teams, and there’s something riding on it, and because it’s in a football fan’s nature to be boundlessly optimistic. But will one team be crippled by pressure and the other not bothered because of no pressure?
Tom Lockyer has a chat. He looks very chirpy and relaxed, and says “I want to be a bit more involved now, if I can help the lads in any sort of way”. Also:
It’s a massive game, isn’t it? Let’s not shy away from it tonight. The gaffer’s just done his talk. He’d probably have taken this position at the start of the season, coming into it. I hope the fans think like that as well. Everton are safe now and we’re hoping they’re going to be on the beach. The only thing we can hope for is maybe it’ll mean more for us today – we’ll run faster, we’ll fight harder. But with a Sean Dyche team that’s a given for them.
Ashley Young is making his 450th club appearance today – pretty good given he’s had a few severely injury-affected seasons. “We’re not coming into this game any differently. We want to win, we want the three points, and it’s no different to if it wasn’t a relegation fight,” he says.
Luton’s Thomas Kaminski has a chat to Sky. He says almost exactly what you’d expect him to say: “The pressure’s on us and we need to go for a result to keep our hopes alive. The target is clear, to put pressure on the other teams it’s very clear what we have to do.”
The teams!
The protagonists in tonight’s breathless drama are these:
Luton: Kaminski, Burke, Mengi, Osho, Onyedinma, Sambi Lokonga, Barkley, Doughty, Chong, Morris, Adebayo. Subs: Shea, Berry, Woodrow, Mpanzu, Clark, Krul, Hashioka, Townsend, Johnson.
Everton: Pickford, Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Young, Harrison, Gueye, Garner, McNeil, Doucoure, Calvert-Lewin. Subs: Keane, Onana, Danjuma, Virginia, Beto, Andre Gomes, Coleman, Chermiti, Dobbin.
Referee: Tim Robinson
Your Friday night Hatters 🫡 pic.twitter.com/BDWRrQPfLG
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) May 3, 2024
Your Friday night Toffees! 🔵 #LUTEVE pic.twitter.com/BYByqYgoP9
— Everton (@Everton) May 3, 2024
