Chelsea travel to Luton for their final game of 2023 in a litmus test against the stubborn Hatters.
Luton Town welcome Premier League giants Chelsea to Bedfordshire for what promises to be a wonderful winter’s day out to conclude a memorable calendar year. Rob Edwards’ side defied the odds by reaching the Premier League for the first time and is now making a good case for survival.
Chelsea were 3-nil victors the last time they met in August to make it three consecutive wins against Luton, having scored three goals. They must be wary of the Hatters’ home form, especially against the bigger teams.
Luton are punching massively above their weight given their modest financial standing, yet, they have surpassed the expectations of many as the highest-placed newly promoted team so far this term.
Unsurprisingly, the season had a rough start with a 4-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion and the aforementioned beating at Chelsea. Although they lost their next two matches to West Ham and Fulham, Luton secured their first point against 10-man Wolves before their first-ever Premier League win at Everton thanks to goals from captain Tom Lockyer and Carlton Morris.
Elijah Adebayo’s equalizer was not enough to secure a point against Burnley, as Jacob Bruun Larsen scored almost immediately after to register his team’s maiden campaign win. Yet, another resilient home performance was not rewarded when Tottenham Hotspur got away with a 1-0 victory despite playing with 10 men throughout the second half.
Next time out, the Hatters came away with a psychological boost as Chiedozie Ogbene and Adebayo scored late to seal an unlikely draw at Nottingham Forest. The following defeat showed a lack of consistency in Aston Villa, which preceded a commendable draw at home to Liverpool.
The trip to Old Trafford was fruitless as Manchester United registered a 1-0 win, but Luton took the lead against Crystal Palace, who equalized through an excellent Michael Olise strike. Still, they sealed the maximum points with an 83rd-minute goal from Jacob Brown.
A 3-1 defeat to Brentford is less than ideal preparation for tough fixtures coming up against Arsenal, Manchester City, and Newcastle before the end of the year. Nevertheless, they will be battle-ready when the Chelsea fixture comes around.
Luton is sitting above the relegation zone by only two points (thanks in no small part to Everton’s 10-point deduction), and they will be looking to use that cushion as a springboard to better performances that deliver crucial points. Hence, the matches in front of their fans are mightily important, with fixtures they are not expected to win, like the one against Chelsea, offering bonus points if they can get a result.
Edwards has fostered an identity in his fearless team, who never lack heart and desire whenever they take to the pitch. Thus far, their survival credentials have surprised everyone else in the league.
The last time a Chelsea team traveled to Kenilworth Road, the Blues were fortunate to leave with a Round 5 victory in the 2022 FA Cup, as they had to come from behind twice to secure a 3-2 win. Should they push this current side as far as they did at the time, Luton might just be able to shake a result from Mauricio Pochettino’s men.
There has been a sea of change and upheaval on and off the pitch at Stamford Bridge as new owners, players, and managers have caused uncertainty in the last 18 months. Pochettino is building a winning team out of this expensively assembled group of unproven players, and the results have expectedly been up and down for such a new team.
Their season began with a pulsating draw with Liverpool. Still, things quickly deteriorated as defeats to West Ham and Nottingham Forest, either side a first victory over Luton, exposed their immaturity as a group.
Chelsea went goalless for three matches but roared back with a three-game winning streak in all competitions against Brighton, Fulham, and Burnley. They went into the October international break full of vigor but struggled to close out a lead against Arsenal, which ended in a 2-2 draw; then, they were haunted by familiar problems in a 2-0 defeat to Brentford in another London Derby.
Chelsea began to find luck as they capitalized on two red cards to defeat Tottenham 4-1. Then, they followed it up with a breathless 4-4 draw against Manchester City that kept their unbeaten record against the traditional ‘top-six’ teams. True to their inconsistent form this season, Pochettino’s men were soundly beaten 4-1 at Newcastle before returning to winning in a hard-fought victory against Brighton.
Chelsea have been one of the best-performing teams this season, but the lack of a reliable goalscorer and defensive errors undermine their efforts. The visit to Luton presents a potential banana skin as they must take their chances against a well-organized team that passionate supporters near the ground will roar on.
Match tickets
The last fixture of the year for both teams is set to occur on Saturday, 30 December 2023, with kick-off scheduled for 12:30 PM UK time. The match will be broadcast live on TNTSports in England for fans who cannot attend the game.
However, match tickets are on sale via each club’s website but they will be quickly sold out given it is a festive occasion right in between the holidays. It promises to be a memorable family day with Premier League football on the agenda, a rare privilege in Bedfordshire.
Luton Town vs Chelsea tickets will be challenging as the stadium only has a capacity of 11,500, so desperate fans may have to find their tickets on a ticket release website.
Team news
Dan Potts, Mads Andersen, Reece Burke, Cauley Woodrow, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Marvelous Nakamba have all been sidelined for Luton but should all be available for the visit of Chelsea.
Chelsea has battled with injuries all season as Wesley Fofana, Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah, and Carney Chukwuemeka remain out for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Romeo Lavia, Malo Gusto, and Christopher Nkunku are back in full training, with the latter being the most likely to start against Luton.
Line-ups
The tried and trusted back-three system has served the hosts well so far in their Premier League adventure, and they will be sticking to what they know best to frustrate the Blues. Nakamba and Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu must close the gaps in front of their defense and make life difficult for the Chelsea attack. Alternatively, they want to spring their players forward with quick passes for transitions.
Luton: Kaminski; Mengi, Lockyer, Osho; Kabore, Nakamba, Mpanzu, Bell; Chong, Morris, Ogbene
Cole Palmer has become Chelsea’s key attacking weapon, and his creativity must come to the fore here. While Luton packs their penalty box with bodies, the 21-year-old finds key passes that lead to goals.
Nkunku’s return has been earmarked for a long time, and he should see playing time at Kenilworth Road. His team hopes his attacking presence can contribute to a positive result.
Chelsea: Sanchez; James, Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Sterling, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson
Prediction
The Londoners will have the lion’s share of possession and territory but will face their biggest undoing when Luton reverts into a low defensive block. Pochettino’s side has collapsed horribly in these sorts of games, and they must cut out the defensive lapses on the counter and at set pieces.
On the other hand, the home side will be fired up for a physical contest they can get something from, dependent on the Chelsea that turns up on the day.
Luton Town 1-2 Chelsea
