Chelsea vs Luton LIVE: Premier League latest score and goal updates as Ross Barkley starts

Chelsea take on Luton tonight hoping to bounce back from their defeat to West Ham in the Premier League last time out.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side dominated possession at the London Stadium but an inspired performance from James Ward-Prowse helped the Hammers to a 3-1 win. That defeat continued a tricky start to the season for Chelsea who have also lost Reece James, newly installed as captain, to injury as well as midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka and winger Mykhailo Mudryk.

Meanwhile, Luton had their fixture against Burnley postponed last weekend while Kenilworth Road – their home stadium – is brought up to Premier League standard. Luton were hammered 4-1 by Brighton in their opening fixture and a fortnight to resst could prove valuable to Rob Edwards’ team. The newly promoted side arrive at Stamford Bridge this evening hoping to cause a shock in and collect their first top-flight points of the season.

Follow along as Chelsea host Luton and get all the latest football betting sites offers here:

Chelsea vs Luton

Chelsea host Luton in the Premier League

Mauricio Pochettino aiming for first win as Chelsea boss

Luton’s last fixture was postponed but they’ll be hoping to win first points of the season

17’ GOAL! – Sterling opens the scoring with a wonderful individual goal (CHE 1-0 LUT)

7’ SAVE! – Kaminski clings on to Sterling’s rocket (CHE 0-0 LUT)

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Disasi, Silva, Colwill, Gusto, Fernandez, Gallagher, Chilwell, Sterling, Caicedo, Jackson

Luton XI: Kaminski, Bell, Lockyer, Burke, Giles, Chong, Nakamba, Barkley, Kabore, Adebayo, Morris

Chelsea FC 1 – 0 Luton Town FC

HT Chelsea 1-0 Luton

20:57 , Mike Jones

(Action Images via Reuters)

(PA)

Half-time! Chelsea 1-0 Luton

20:48 , Mike Jones

45+2 mins: Raheem Sterling’s wonderful dart in from the right wing and calm left-footed finish caps off a dominant and controlling first half for Chelsea who seem well on course to record their first win of the season.

Luton have work to do but with only a one-goal deficit the Hatters are still in the game.

Chelsea 1-0 Luton

20:46 , Mike Jones

45 mins: Two minutes of added time to play at the end of the first half.

Chelsea 1-0 Luton

20:43 , Mike Jones

40 mins: Luton win a corner as the first half comes flying towards its conclusion. The ball is whipped in towards the near post where it seems Ben Chilwell gets the final touch on the ball before it deflects over the crossbar.

Luton want another corner but the referee award Chelsea a goalkick.

Chelsea 1-0 Luton

20:39 , Mike Jones

35 mins: Marvelous Nakamba miscues the ball and almost sets Raheem Sterling awaty on the break but this time the forward can’t bring the ball under control and it skids away from him to a defender.

Sterling looks in top form tonight and somewhat back to his best. He’s causing real problems for the Luton back line.

Chelsea 1-0 Luton

20:33 , Mike Jones

30 mins: Marvelous Nakamba goes in the book for a late challenge on Conor Gallagher who was attempting to get forward on the wing.

The Blues have taken their feet off the gas but they’re still in charge of the game.

Chelsea 1-0 Luton

20:29 , Mike Jones

27 mins: It’s time for Luton to repsond and they do so but sprinting down the wings and floating in a couple of crosses that are heading away without too much trouble by the hosts.

Chelsea 1-0 Luton

20:26 , Mike Jones

22 mins: That was an excellent goal from Raheem Sterling and it already looks a long way back for Luton.

It’s still all Chelsea, although they’re prioritising possession over attacking the goal now.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Luton (Sterling, 17’)⚽️

20:18 , Mike Jones

17 mins: Raheem Sterling take a bow! The Chelsea forward receives the ball over on the right wing and he drives into the penalty area.

Some fancy footwork takes him past two Luton defenders before he guides a left-footed effort past Thomas Kaminski to put the Blues ahead!

Chelsea 0-0 Luton

20:15 , Mike Jones

13 mins: Chance! Thiago Silva pings a long ball up the pitch and plays Nicolas Jackson in behind the lines. He collects the ball and releases it off to Ben Chilwell.

Chiwell sets up Enzo Fernandez for a set on the edge of the box but he lifts his effort high over the bar!

Chelsea 0-0 Luton

20:12 , Mike Jones

10 mins: Chelsea have dominated this game since the start and are knocking on the door.

Conor Gallagher and Raheem Sterling combine through some intricate play to get the ball into the box but they can’t work a good angle to shoot from and Luton force them away once again.

Chelsea 0-0 Luton

20:08 , Mike Jones

7 mins: Close! The free kick is whipped into the penalty area before dropping to Raheem Sterling in space.

Sterling runs onto the ball and smokes a first time shot at goal but somehow Thomas Kaminski manages to cling onto the ball and smother it before it cross the line.

Great save from the Luton goalkeeper!

Chelsea 0-0 Luton

20:07 , Mike Jones

6 mins: Close! Nicolas Jackson receives the ball on the edge of the box and drives into the middle. He leaves it for Raheem Sterling who cuts onto his left foot and shoots from a tight angle.

The effort is blocked but the Blues continue their attack and win themselves a corner which is whipped over to the far post. No-one can get on the end of the cross but Chelsea recycle the ball over to Enzo Fernandez on the right side of thr pitch.

He attempted cross is blocked but Elijah Adebayo who uses his hand and gives away a free kick.

Chelsea 0-0 Luton

20:04 , Mike Jones

3 mins: Moises Caicedo wins the ball and flicks it out wide to Malo Gusto who drives Chelsea forward down the right wing.

There’s nowhere for him to go as Luton defend in numbers so Gusto stops his run and sends the ball backwards to try and draw the Hatters out of position.

Kick off! Chelsea 0-0 Luton

20:01 , Mike Jones

Chelsea get the ball rolling at Stamford Bridge just as the rain stops. The Blues will hope to collect their first win under Mauricio Pochettino tonight but they’ve not been fantastic at home recently.

A direct ball over towards Raheem Sterling doesn’t pay off as he loses possession and the ball is scooped up by Luton’s Thomas Kaminski.

Chelsea vs Luton

19:56 , Mike Jones

Here come the teams.

Ben Chilwell captains Chelsea in the absence of Reece James tonight. Mauricio Pochettino’s men are the big favourites to win tonight but can Luton cause an upset and earn their first points of the season?

Kick off is up next…

Chelsea vs Luton

19:53 , Mike Jones

Chelsea have dropped points in four of their six Premier League fixtures versus promoted opposition last season (Won two, drawn three and lost one).

Chelsea vs Luton

19:49 , Mike Jones

Chelsea could draw four consecutive top-flight games at Stamford Bridge for the first time since February 2016. They have conceded the first goal in six successive Premier League games.

Chelsea vs Luton

19:45 , Mike Jones

Carlton Morris could become the first player to score in the opening two games for a team making its Premier League debut since Ricardo Fuller for Stoke in 2008-09.

Meanwhile, Ross Barkley scored in his most recent Premier League appearance: a 91st-minute winner for Chelsea in a 2-1 victory over Watford at Stamford Bridge in May 2022.

Chelsea vs Luton

19:41 , Mike Jones

The Hatters have won only one of their previous 35 top-flight away fixtures against London opposition (D9, L25).

Chelsea vs Luton

19:37 , Mike Jones

Chelsea are winless in nine home games in all competitions (D5, L4), since a 2-0 victory against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in March.

It is their longest streak without a home win since a run of 10 from November 1987 to April 1988.

Chelsea vs Luton

19:33 , Mike Jones

Chelsea have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 11 Premier League matches.

(PA)

Chelsea vs Luton

19:29 , Mike Jones

Luton are just the second side to play away in each of their first two Premier League games, after Blackpool in August 2010.

They are winless in their past 27 top-flight away matches (D6, L21) since beating Aston Villa 2-1 in March 1991.

Chelsea vs Luton

19:25 , Mike Jones

Chelsea could begin a Premier League campaign without winning any of their first three games for the first time since 1998-99 (D2, L1).

Their only win in their past 16 fixtures in all competitions was a 3-1 victory at Bournemouth in May.

Chelsea vs Luton

19:21 , Mike Jones

This is the first league meeting between the teams since they met in the top flight at Kenilworth Road in December 1991, when the Hatters won 2-0.

Chelsea vs Luton team news

19:17 , Mike Jones

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Disasi, Silva, Colwill, Gusto, Fernandez, Gallagher, Chilwell, Sterling, Caicedo, Jackson

Luton XI: Kaminski, Bell, Lockyer, Burke, Giles, Chong, Nakamba, Barkley, Kabore, Adebayo, Morris

Pre-match thoughts from Rob Edwards

18:55 , Mike Jones

Luton Town’s head coach, Rob Edwards, says he is ‘really looking forward’ to taking on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tonight and hopes his team enjoys playing in the top-flight.

“Really looking forward to it,” said Edwards. “It’s what we’ve all worked hard for. We as a football club have been out of the top-flight for a long time, everyone’s been dying for this so let’s go and enjoy it.

“But the best way to enjoy is by putting on a good performance and competing well. You can never guarantee a result, we’re going there to try and win and we’ll go there absolutely trying to do that.

“I’ve got huge respect for what Mauricio [Pochettino] has done in his career so far and he’s proved to be one of the best in the world. It’s great, and I’ll say this all the time.”

Chelsea suffer blow with Carney Chukwuemeka injury update

18:50 , Mike Jones

Carney Chukwuemeka has been ruled out for six weeks with a knee injury in a major blow to Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino.

The teenager had started both of Chelsea’s opening Premier League games under Pochettino but came off in the 3-1 defeat at West Ham.

He underwent surgery on Monday, and posted on Instagram: “Minor setback but I will be back stronger than ever. Thank you Chelsea fans for your love and support. See you soon.”

Chukwuemeka was replaced Mykhailo Mudryk and the 22-year-old Ukrainian, who signed for around £62m last season, could now get an extended run in the team alongside Raheem Sterling Nicolas Jackson in Chelsea’s front three.

Chelsea suffer blow with Carney Chukwuemeka injury update

Young players will come good for Chelsea believes Pochettino

18:45 , Mike Jones

“I really believe in the squad and the quality of the squad,” added Pochettino.

“Now it’s only the process. We are in a good way. If we had four or six points it would help, but we need to be positive. It’s the beginning, we are going to win games. There’s no doubt the quality is there, it’s only a matter of time.

“There have been many positive things. We need to give them time to perform, but we have good balance. Even the younger players have experience, like Enzo [Fernandez]. He’s a World Cup champion.

“Of course the Premier League is different, but then it’s about how we are capable of organising the team and creating a team that plays really well.

“The priority is to play well, but then you have to compete. That’s another football. Set-pieces etc. In that football you need some experienced players, but we have good balance. It’s only about improving this, and for sure we are going to do that.”

Pochettino on facing Luton

18:40 , Mike Jones

“I was telling the players in the pre-match meeting we need to match the aggression of the Luton players,” revealed Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino when speaking about tonight’s clash with Luton.

“If we match all this, the will and everything, we presume we have better quality and we will win. But if not, the game can be crazy and we can win or we can lose. That is football.

“It’s going to be a tough game. We were analysing them and they are a strong team. It’s so clear the way they play, 5-3-2, really fast in transition, really strong in set-pieces.

“It’s a team we need to respect and be careful and be ready to match them in the way they play, and then be clear in the way we play and try to make a difference.”

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink calls for patience at Chelsea under Mauricio Pochettino

18:35 , Mike Jones

Former Chelsea forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has stressed the need for Mauricio Pochettino to be given time but knows not all of the club’s big-money signings will handle the pressure.

The Blues are without a win after two matches of this season’s Premier League after an encouraging 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool was followed up by Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at West Ham.

Chelsea have spent more than £350million on transfers this summer, which has taken their overall outlay under Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium to nearly £1billion since he completed his takeover at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink calls for patience at Chelsea under Mauricio Pochettino

Chelsea vs Luton

18:30 , Mike Jones

Luton have won just one of their last seven league away matches versus Chelsea with one draw and five defeats.

That victory was a 3-1 top-flight win in September 1986.

Chelsea vs Luton

18:25 , Mike Jones

Chelsea have won the last three meetings with Luton in all competitions, with all of these games coming in the FA Cup between 1994 and 2022.

Will they make it four wins from four tonight?

Chelsea and Luton face a chance they can’t afford to miss

18:20 , Mike Jones

In truth, we could be talking about any clubs. In truth, this applies to several fixtures across the coming weekend in the Premier League. But it perhaps has most relevance to the Stamford Bridge clash on Friday night, where Chelsea are hosting Luton Town, a meeting of financial Goliaths and Davids, of monetary men and mice, of the extravagant and the efficient.

It’s a simple statement, but it holds undeniable truth: as early as it is in the 2023/24 season, given their respective objectives can these clubs afford to be wasting early opportunities to get points on the board?

Of course, for Luton the very notion of taking their first top-flight point since 1996 away to Chelsea might be considered unlikely to many. They had until this month, after all, been in the Conference Premier more recently than they had been in the former Premier League, the old First Division.

Chelsea and Luton face a chance they can’t afford to miss

Chelsea vs Luton latest odds and prediction

18:15 , Mike Jones

Latest odds ahead of the match at Stamford Bridge:

Chelsea win 2/9

Draw 6/1

Luton win 14/1

Prediction: Chelsea emerge relatively comfortable winners to earn Mauricio Pochettino his first win of the Premier League season. Chelsea 3-1 Luton

Chelsea vs Luton predicted line-ups

18:10 , Mike Jones

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Gusto, Fernandez, Caicedo, Gallagher, Chilwell; Sterling, Jackson.

Luton XI: Kaminski; Andersen, Lockyer, Bell; Kabore, Mpanzu, Nakamba, Chong, Giles; Morris, Adebayo.

Chelsea vs Luton early team news

18:05 , Mike Jones

Chelsea remain without captain Reece James, who is set to miss a few weeks of action with a hamstring injury. Christopher Nkunku is a longer term absentee after undergoing knee surgery, while Carney Chukwuemeka will also reportedly miss about six weeks of football after sustaining a knee injury against West Ham. Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana and Armando Broja are also sidelined.

Ankle injuries continue to keep Jordan Clark and Dan Potts out of Luton’s squad, while Gabriel Osho and Reece Burke are also absent. Veteran goalkeeper Tim Krul could figure for the first time after completing his move from Norwich.

How to watch Chelsea vs Luton

18:00 , Mike Jones

Chelsea vs Luton is due to kick off at 8pm BST on Friday 25 August at Stamford Bridge in London.

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage on the channels from 7pm BST. Subscribers can stream the game via Sky Go.

Chelsea vs Luton

16:55 , Mike Jones

Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Premier League action as Chelsea take on Luton Town at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are yet to win in the top-flight under Mauricio Pochettino after an opening round draw with Liverpool was followed up by a 3-1 defeat to West Ham last time out. Pochettino is juggling a number of injuries within his squad but should have enough quality to earn a positive result against Luton.

Luton, meanwhile, haven’t played since their 4-1 defeat to Brighton on the first weekend of the season. The newly promoted side saw their fixture against Burnley postponed as Kenilworth Road is being upgraded to meet Premier League standards. A two week break has given them more time to prepare for this match though and the Hatters will hope to earn their first points of the season tonight.