CHELSEA have beaten Luton 3-2 at Kenilworth Road to sign off 2023 with a vital win.
The Blues took the lead through Cole Palmer’s emphatic finish after pouncing on a defensive error from the Hatters.
Chelsea doubled their lead on 37 minutes through Noni Madueke’s thunderous strike.
Palmer got his second of the afternoon in the second half after beating Thomas Kaminski with superb skill before scoring Chelsea’s third.
Former Blue Ross Barkley converted from a late Luton corner to make it 3-1 before Elijah Adebayo tapped in for 3-2 to set up a grandstand finish, but it wasn’t to be for the Hatters.
- Match result: Luton 2-3 Chelsea
- Luton team: Kaminski, Doughty, Mengi, Osho, Bell, Kabore, Lokonga, Barkley, Townsend, Adebayo, Brown
- Chelsea team: Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Gallagher, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Jackson; Broja
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Cold-Palmer seals win for Blues
At just 21-years-old, Cole Palmer has the head on him of a player much more mature in his game.
Named player of the match for his two goals today, the calmness under pressure to slot home his second goal was impressive.
Nothing seems to phase him and he has added some real quality in the final third for Chelsea.
Credit: Getty Credit: Getty Chelsea make huge step towards top
Victory today at Kenilworth Road cements tenth place for The Blues but also leaves them only a point behind Newcastle.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side are now only three points behind Man Utd in seventh place.
The Argentine manager will see the two wins this week as a step in the right direction for his team.
Barkley comes back to haunt old friends
The goal by Ross Barkley ignited the comeback from Luton which almost saw them come from three goals down to draw.
Sadly for Rob Edwards’ side, they just could not find that third goal.
Barkley was integral to everything Luton Town did well today and is starting to shine in the heart of this side.
FT: Luton Town 2-3 Chelsea
Luton had their first shot on target in the 77th minute and then in the remaining time they had six shots on target, hit the crossbar twice and had a goal disallowed.
Chelsea can count themselves lucky to hold on for the win in the end.
Rob Edwards’ side turned the screw in the final moments and came so close to scoring an equaliser.
FT: Luton Town 2-3 Chelsea
The referee brings this titanic battle to an end at Kenilworth Road.
Chelsea hang on for a vital three points.
For Luton, they will feel they could have got something out of this.
Luton Town 2-3 Chelsea
90+4. Gusto is shown a yellow card for delaying the throw in for too much time.
Chong turns away from Gallagher and is fouled once again.
Luton are hoping that they can create one more chance now.
Luton Town 2-3 Chelsea
90+2. Chelsea have brought Gilchrist on for Cole and switched to five at the back now.
Chong whips another dangerous ball in but Ogbene cannot control it at the back post.
Rob Edwards punches the air in anger that they could not turn it in.
Luton Town 2-3 Chelsea
90. Moments ago Chelsea fans were singing about how their team was the best in the world.
It’s highly debatable if they are the best team in Kenilworth Road right now.
Chong gets to the byline and whips the ball in and Thiago Silva clears the ball from his own goal line.
We are going to have an additional six minutes added.
Luton Town 2-3 Chelsea
88. We have a game on our hands now.
As the cross comes in from Ogbene as it is fired towards goal, Petrovic makes a save but the ball loops up in the air.
Adebayo is on the back post to volley home and send Kenilworth Road into raptures.
Credit: AFP
Goal – Elijah Adebayo (Luton Town)
Luton Town 1-3 Chelsea
86. Gallagher goes into the back of Chong, giving away a foul.
Doughty stands over the free kick.
He finds Morris at the back post and his header comes crashing off the crossbar.
The replay shows that Petrovic got a fingertip to it, great save.
Luton Town 1-3 Chelsea
84. Ogbene gets another good delivery into the box.
Chelsea fail to deal with the cross and Doughty keeps it in play.
Morris gets his head to it but Petrovic makes the save.
Luton Town 1-3 Chelsea
82. As the corner comes in from Luton, Barkley meets it at the near post with a header to finally put the ball into the back of the net for Rob Edwards’ side.
They had their first shot on target in the 77th minute and now they have their goal.
Another one for the hosts would make for an interesting end to this game.
Goal – Ross Barkley (Luton Town)
Luton Town 0-3 Chelsea
80. What a miss for the hosts.
Ogbene crosses from the right and Adebayo thunders his header against the crossbar from two yards out.
Petrovic didn’t move, he had to score.
Luton Town 0-3 Chelsea
78. Chelsea fans are starting to enjoy their day out here.
With time running out, you cannot see them losing this now.
Barkley looks to place a shot from outside the box but it is straight at Petrovic.
Credit: Getty Luton Town 0-3 Chelsea
76. For a moment there, Luton thought they had a chance to get back into this game.
As the replay shows, Adebayo was coming back from on offside position in the build up.
He finished well as the cross came in, heading into the bottom corner, but it was to be ruled out.
Goal disallowed – Offside
VAR check in progress
Goal – Elijah Adebayo (Luton Town)
Luton Town 0-3 Chelsea
74. It seems a bizarre decision by Man City to let Palmer leave.
He has so much to offer and is only going to get better.
The player seems to rarely be injured also, which is key to any side.
Luton Town 0-3 Chelsea
72. Palmer has been the difference between these two sides.
The quality and skill of the Chelsea youngster has just been too much for Luton to cope with.
That said, Kabore got the ball rolling when he passed the ball to Palmer to gift him his first goal.
Luton Town 0-3 Chelsea
70. That is surely game over now.
Palmer makes a run and is slotted in, he skips around Kaminski and dummies a shot so the defender commits himself.
He uses that to slide the ball into an empty net.
Goal – Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Luton Town 0-2 Chelsea
68. Madueke plays a short corner to Palmer.
He checks onto his left and looks to fire a shot away.
Chong does well to block and bring the ball out for Luton.
Credit: Getty
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
