Luton Town 2-3 Chelsea: Cole Palmer double earns Chelsea win
Palmer #Palmer
Palmer has scored eight Premier League goals for Chelsea this season
Late goals from Luton’s Ross Barkley and Elijah Adebayo created a nervous end to what should have been a comfortable win for Chelsea.
In a thrilling match at Kenilworth Road, the Blues started brightly and took the lead in the 12th minute, a poor clearance from Luton’s Issa Kabore handing the ball to Cole Palmer for the forward to drill low into the far corner past Thomas Kaminski.
Again Palmer was in the mix for Chelsea’s second as he worked the ball from left to right, feeding to Noni Madueke inside the box who managed to dribble past Amari’i Bell and smash the ball from a tight angle into the top corner.
Nicolas Jackson then threaded a pass through the middle to set up Palmer, who stayed calm to roll the ball away from the goalkeeper, then again from sliding defenders before slotting in to bag the Blues’ third in the second half.
But Luton refused to give in. They thought they had pulled a goal back through Adebayo, but his header was ruled out for offside in the build-up before Barkley then scored a header from Alfie Doughty’s corner.
The Hatters threw players forward looking to get back into the game and substitute Carlton Morris’ header was pushed on to the crossbar before Adebayo scored a second for Luton, setting up a nervous final few minutes for the visitors, but Chelsea were able to hold on for the win.
The victory means Chelsea have picked up two vital wins in the space of a week as they look to start climbing up the Premier League table after a challenging 2023.
Mauricio Pochettino will be glad of the victory but disappointed with the way his side dealt with what should have been a comfortable end to the match.
Palmer continues to show importance
Palmer has been Chelsea’s best player this season and his performance against Luton Town again highlighted the quality he has brought to Pochettino’s side since his £42.5m move from Manchester City.
His goal in the first half was a lethal finish after a poor clearance landed the ball at his feet, and his pass to Madueke was perfectly timed as Chelsea attacked.
This was the fourth Premier League game this season in which Palmer has scored and assisted.
He is also only the fifth Chelsea player to reach double figures for goal involvements [eight goals, five assists] in a single Premier League season while aged 21 or under, joining Arjen Robben, Eden Hazard, Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount.
His second goal highlighted his composure as he stayed calm to dribble around Kaminski and roll the ball between two Luton defenders on the goal line.
Palmer was well-supported by his former England U21 team-mate Madueke who was dangerous throughout the game, his ability to go either inside or outside his marker causing Luton problems.
Pochettino praised Madueke for the way he responded to being out of the team following his match-winning performance against Crystal Palace in the week, and the winger put in another positive performance this time out.
Luton show they are up for the fight
Luton were looking as if they were well out of the game before Barkley launched a counterattack.
The former England and Chelsea midfielder’s energy drove the team forward and he went close when he curled over a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area.
Rob Edwards’ side will be disappointed to have missed out on what could have been when Adebayo hit the crossbar from close range and substitute Morris’ header was pushed on to the bar by Djordje Petrovic as they looked to secure an unlikely point.
Luton are still in the relegation zone but this was another performance that will give them hope they can stay in the Premier League, having pushed another of the league’s traditional elite right until the end.
Player of the match
PalmerCole Palmer
Luton Town
Squad number6Player nameBarkley
Squad number11Player nameAdebayo
Squad number14Player nameChong
Squad number45Player nameDoughty
Squad number7Player nameOgbene
Squad number30Player nameTownsend
Squad number9Player nameMorris
Squad number28Player nameSambi Lokonga
Squad number19Player nameBrown
Squad number12Player nameKaboré
Squad number29Player nameBell
Squad number10Player nameWoodrow
Squad number24Player nameKaminski
Squad number2Player nameOsho
Squad number15Player nameMengi
Chelsea
Squad number20Player namePalmer
Squad number11Player nameMadueke
Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva
Squad number23Player nameGallagher
Squad number28Player namePetrovic
Squad number27Player nameGusto
Squad number26Player nameColwill
Squad number42Player nameGilchrist
Squad number25Player nameCaicedo
Squad number2Player nameDisasi
Squad number15Player nameJackson
Squad number18Player nameNkunku
Squad number19Player nameBroja
Squad number8Player nameFernández
Line-upsLuton
Formation 3-4-2-1
24Kaminski
15Mengi2Osho29Bell
12Kaboré28Sambi Lokonga6Barkley45Doughty
30Townsend19Brown
11Adebayo
Substitutes
Chelsea
Formation 4-2-3-1
28Petrovic
27Gusto2Disasi6Thiago Silva26Colwill
23Gallagher25Caicedo
11Madueke20Palmer15Jackson
19Broja
Substitutes
Live Text
Match ends, Luton Town 2, Chelsea 3.
Second Half ends, Luton Town 2, Chelsea 3.
Chiedozie Ogbene (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea).
Substitution, Luton Town. Cauley Woodrow replaces Albert Sambi Lokonga.
Tahith Chong (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Conor Gallagher (Chelsea).
Malo Gusto (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card.
Ross Barkley (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea).
Substitution, Chelsea. Alfie Gilchrist replaces Cole Palmer.
Foul by Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea).
Teden Mengi (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea).
Albert Sambi Lokonga (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Axel Disasi (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card.
Goal! Luton Town 2, Chelsea 3. Elijah Adebayo (Luton Town) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner.
Attempt saved. Alfie Doughty (Luton Town) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Chiedozie Ogbene with a cross.
Attempt saved. Carlton Morris (Luton Town) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Alfie Doughty with a cross.
Foul by Conor Gallagher (Chelsea).