Chelsea vs Luton LIVE! Premier League result, match stream and latest updates today
Raheem Sterling scored twice to continue his fine start to the Premier League season as Chelsea overcame early nerves to beat Luton 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.
A game that had threatened to drift into familiar goal-shy territory for Mauricio Pochettino’s side came alive midway through the second half when Sterling swept home his second of the match, that after he had broken the deadlock in the 17th minute with a superb solo effort.
And goalscorer turned provider minutes later when he crossed for Nicolas Jackson to knock in his first Chelsea goal and hand the hosts their first three-goal victory in the league since beating Wolves last October.
Until that flourish, Rob Edwards’ side had inflicted familiar feelings of frustration on home fans who witnessed their team struggle to open up the top-flight newcomers, until Sterling’s brilliance finally helped them cement their dominance and hand Pochettino his first win in charge.
Chelsea’s first chance fell after just six minutes. Luton failed to clear decisively after a free-kick from the right, and coming onto the ball with a thunderous volley from 12 yards was Sterling. His drive was clean and true, but Thomas Kaminski was its equal with a superb piece of handling to cling on to the ball.
Moises Caicedo, fresh from conceding a penalty on his debut against West Ham, showed more jitters on his first home start when he allowed Tahith Chong to dispossess him inside his own half. The Luton winger left his opponent on the turf and raced away before arcing a shot wide of goal to spare the blushes of Chelsea’s record buy.
It had been an urgent if not wholly assured start by Chelsea. On 14 minutes, Ben Chilwell linked up well with Jackson to provide Enzo Fernandez with a sight of goal. The World Cup-winner’s shot was taken early with his instep, curling past the angle of post and bar.
The opening goal was all Sterling’s own work. Picking up the ball wide on the right from Malo Gusto’s pass, he drove in from the wing with purpose, darting into the box and cutting inside three defenders before sliding a fine left-footed finish past Kaminsky.
The second half sustained the pattern of Chelsea pressure. First, Ben Chilwell played a one-two with Jackson and went through on goal, only to pick the wrong option and look for a pass instead of taking the shot on. Then Jackson himself tried to beat Kaminski at the near post, a challenge the Luton goalkeeper stood up to well.
Caicedo’s inclusion had meant a more advanced role for Fernandez, and the Argentinian appeared determined to make amends for his costly penalty miss against West Ham. He was the next to go close, arriving at the back post to meet Sterling’s superb low ball into the box. Kaminski, increasingly exposed as the game wore on, beat the ball to safety.
But as long as Chelsea’s dominance failed to yield a second, Luton’s threat lingered. Their moment looked to have arrived on the hour mark. Carlton Morris held the ball up well inside the box and helped work the ball via Elijah Adebayo into the feet of Ryan Giles, whose driven effort looked destined to fizz beyond Robert Sanchez until Gusto’s heroic last-ditch block deflected it into the Chelsea goalkeeper’s arms.
Much of the hosts’ attacking play had suffered from attempts to overcomplicate, but there was nothing of that about their second. Gusto, a lively forward threat all night pushing up from wing-back, whipped the ball into the box low and with a cool sweep of the right boot Sterling guided the cross into the bottom corner to finally settle Chelsea’s nerves.
Stamford Bridge suddenly found its mood transformed, and within minutes it was three. Fernandez, looking settled now in his new role, sent a clever spinning ball up to Sterling, who was almost nonchalant as he pulled it out of the air and drilled it in for Jackson crash home his first goal in blue.
It was a stylish goal, the kind supporters were once used to in this part of west London. They will hope that a corner has finally been turned.
Chelsea vs Luton latest news
Full match report
Chelsea player ratings
Sterling emerges as the leader of new-look Chelsea
Chelsea FC 3 - 0 Luton Town FC
Good night
23:27 , Jonathan Gorrie
Thanks for joining Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Chelsea’s win over Luton.
Find our report, ratings, reaction and analysis below!
Pochettino backs Jackson to become one of the ‘greatest strikers’ in the League
23:26 , Jonathan Gorrie
Mauricio Pochettino says Nicolas Jackson can become “one of the greatest strikers in the Premier League” after he netted his first Chelsea goal against Luton on Friday night.
The 22-year-old tapped in Raheem Sterling’s 75th minute cross to seal the first win of the Pochettino era.
After earning his first win as Chelsea manager, Pochettino was full of praise for Chelsea’s no9 at Stamford Bridge.
Sterling emerges as the leader of new-look Chelsea
22:30 , Jonathan Gorrie
Raheem Sterling proved Chelsea’s match-winner by scoring a brace to earn Mauricio Pochettino’s first win against Luton on Friday night.
The 28-year-old has now strung together three excellent displays under his new manager who finally got the win his team’s improved performances deserved.
Nicolas Jackson sealed victory with a late strike which ended a run of eight games without a win at Stamford Bridge.
Nizaar Kinsella’s post-match thoughts
22:29 , Jonathan Gorrie
Standard Sport’s Nizaar Kinsella reflects on an important night for Chelsea.
'A really important victory for Chelsea'
🗣 @NizaarKinsella reflects on the Blues getting their first win under Mauricio Pochettino #CHELUT | #PremierLeague pic.twitter.com/2lCVuG66sO— Standard Sport (@standardsport) August 25, 2023
Chelsea player ratings: Sterling channels Hazard while Enzo shines
22:14 , Jonathan Gorrie
Raheem Sterling’s all-star display ended a run of eight home games without a win to blow away Luton at Stamford Bridge on Friday night.
The 28-year-old scored a stunning opening goal early on, dribbling through the Luton defence before caressing his finish past Thomas Kaminski.
Sterling’s second calmed Chelsea’s nerves after a shaky period early in the second half, turning in a Malo Gusto cross.
Nicolas Jackson sealed victory with his first Chelsea goal after Sterling turned provider, with new signings Romeo Lavia and Djordje Petrovic watching on from Todd Boehly’s private box.
Nizaar Kinsella was at Stamford Bridge witnessing Pochettino’s first win.
Raheem Sterling at the double as Blues get off the mark under Mauricio Pochettino
22:01 , Jonathan Gorrie
Raheem Sterling scored twice as Chelsea claimed their first win under Mauricio Pochettino by beating Luton.
The Blues are up and running with an encouraging victory in which Nicolas Jackson scored his first goal for the club.
Read Jonathan Gorrie’s full match report here!
FT: Chelsea 3-0 Luton
21:53 , Jonathan Gorrie
Sterling at the double as Jackson bags first goal to get Mauricio Pochettino up and running!
Chelsea vs Luton: Successful day for the Blues
21:49 , Jonathan Gorrie
89 mins: Not perfect but more positive signs for Pochettino.
Chelsea vs Luton: GOAL! Nicolas Jackson ‘76
21:34 , Jonathan Gorrie
76 mins: GOAL!
Sterling turns provider with a first-time cross-shot across the face of goal, allowing Jackson to bundle in his first Premier League goal.
Chelsea vs Luton: GOAL! Raheem Sterling ‘68
21:28 , Jonathan Gorrie
66 mins: Sterling drives at the Luton defence and though they initially clear, Gallagher recyles the loose ball to Caicedo.
The midfielder then plays Gusto in down the right channel and he snaps in a driven cross, allowing Sterling to latch on and sweep home the second.
Chelsea vs Luton: CHANCE FOR CHELSEA!
21:25 , Jonathan Gorrie
65 mins: Jackson wins the ball in the air with Luton open just outside their box and finds Sterling but his first touch lets him down and the angle becomes too tight for a compelling chance of scoring.
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
21:21 , Jonathan Gorrie
Chelsea are getting edgy all of a sudden. Ryan Giles’s shot on target was a real scare as Robert Sanchez needed to make a good save after his shot deflected off Malo Gusto.
Chelsea vs Luton: CHANCE FOR LUTON
21:20 , Jonathan Gorrie
58 mins: Giles picks up the ball in the left channel inside the box after Luton counter but can’t keep his shot down.
A warning sign.
Chelsea vs Luton: Game picking up pace
21:19 , Jonathan Gorrie
57 mins: Every minute that goes by, Luton are growing in confidence.
Could be a nervy closing minutes or so.
Chelsea vs Luton: CHANCE FOR CHELSEA
21:14 , Jonathan Gorrie
53 mins: Sterling angles a great pass over to Fernandez at the back post but he strikes the outside of the post from a difficult angle!
Chelsea vs Luton: CHANCE FOR CHELSEA!
21:09 , Jonathan Gorrie
50 mins: Strange, strange decision from Chilwell.
Jackson plays him in for what is surely a tap-in after a counter but the Blues skipper instead tries to square it to Sterling, allowing Luton to clear.
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
21:07 , Jonathan Gorrie
There’s a weirdly tense atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. A hangover feeling from last season where so little joy was had inside this stadium.
Chelsea vs Luton: Decent start for the Hatters
21:07 , Jonathan Gorrie
47 mins: Seeing much more of the ball now, albeit not close enough to goal to cause huge problems.
Chelsea vs Luton: Back underway!
21:04 , Jonathan Gorrie
45 mins: Here we go!
Chelsea vs Luton: Action man Enzo
20:57 , Jonathan Gorrie
A very busy performance from a player growing into his role..
Enzo Fernandez has made more ball recoveries (5) than any other player between Chelsea and Luton in the first half.
Engine. 🚂 pic.twitter.com/ftJvPoC2wB— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) August 25, 2023
HT: Chelsea 1-0 Luton
20:49 , Jonathan Gorrie
Sterling’s moment of magic the difference so far but Luton remain a threat.
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
20:47 , Jonathan Gorrie
Enzo Fernandez is really fun to watch in a higher position. It brings back memories of his World Cup-winning campaign with Argentina having played mainly no6 at Chelsea.
Chelsea vs Luton: Plenty of reason for the Hatters to feel confident
20:47 , Jonathan Gorrie
45 mins: Chelsea have had just one shot on target since the goal.
Luton, without causing too many genuine problems, are growing into the game. Getting more time on the ball, they’re still in this.
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
20:40 , Jonathan Gorrie
Interesting when Chelsea build up. It is a back three, Caicedo as a pivot and then Gusto, Gallagher, Enzo as another three in front.
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
20:34 , Jonathan Gorrie
Luton are picking up yellow cards at a rapid rate. They need to be careful using their physicality to compete.
Chelsea vs Luton: Hatters game plan obvious
20:34 , Jonathan Gorrie
31 mins: Another goal would surely give Luton too much of a mountain to climb after the break. Though not exactly under the cosh a the moment, they’re stepping up their physicality to ensure Chelsea don’t get a second.
Chelsea vs Luton: Great defending from Colwill
20:29 , Jonathan Gorrie
25 mins: Gallagher sells Disasi short with a hospital pass of a ball in midfield, allowing Luton to pounce and play Morris in behind the backline.
Colwill closes the angle to block any cross into the box. Great defending but a warning sign.
Chelsea vs Luton: Tough night for the Hatters now
20:24 , Jonathan Gorrie
21 mins: Chelsea have so many players comfortable on the ball, it’s going to be so hard for the Hatters to get a grip on the game.
Still, if the Blues cannot find another goal, the nerves may soon set in...
Chelsea vs Luton: GOAL! Raheem Sterling ‘15
20:19 , Jonathan Gorrie
15 mins: GOAL! Raheem Sterling ‘15
Sterling goes full Maradona with a jinky run inside the box after Chelsea build-up to overload Luton on the right side. Dancing feet from the England man as he cuts inside from the right and rolls a lovely finish past the ‘keeper.
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
20:17 , Jonathan Gorrie
Levi Colwill adds a new dimension to Chelsea’s attacks. His ability to produce a long-ball out of the back can get Chelsea up the field very quickly, his last one almost led to an Enzo Fernandez opening goal.
Chelsea vs Luton: Fernandez goes close!
20:16 , Jonathan Gorrie
13 mins: Great team move from Chelsea but missing the finish.
Colwill plays in Jackson with a chipped pass and the striker finds Chilwell in the box. The skipper lays it back for Enzo Fernandez, though he cannot keep his shot down.
Slick stuff.
Chelsea vs Luton: Good from Gallagher
20:12 , Jonathan Gorrie
09 mins: Intricate stuff from Gallagher. The England international picks up the ball on the edge of the box, feints to shoot and plays in Sterling with a through ball.
Locyker, however, is out to smother it.
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
20:10 , Jonathan Gorrie
Curious moment as Moises Caicedo trips over the ball and gives a shot away to Tahith Chong.
Chelsea vs Luton: Caicedo falls over...
20:10 , Jonathan Gorrie
07 mins: That, was weird.
Caicedo on the ball and he quite literally falls over, allowing Chong into the box. The former Man United youngster drives inside but overhits a cross to the back post.
Chelsea vs Luton: CHANCE FOR THE BLUES!
20:08 , Jonathan Gorrie
05 mins: Silva flicks on Fernandez’s free-kick up around the right corner flag after a handball and Sterling meets it with a fierce volley but Kaminski stands strong to collect it.
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
20:07 , Jonathan Gorrie
Enzo Fernandez is playing as a no10 with Conor Gallagher in a more withdrawn role today at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea vs Luton: CHANCE FOR THE BLUES!
20:06 , Jonathan Gorrie
03 mins: Jackson runs directly through the Luton backline and finds Sterling, who sees his shot blocked by Lockyer.
Promising early signs for Pochettino.
Chelsea vs Luton: Fernandez at No.10
20:05 , Jonathan Gorrie
03 mins: The Argentine is getting quite the reception on the ball and spreads play over to Sterling. Luton get back into shape and deal with the danger.
Chelsea vs Luton: Sanchez commanding
20:03 , Jonathan Gorrie
01 mins: While questions remain over Robert Sanchez, the Chelsea ‘keeper does well to claim a cross from Ryan Giles from a deep free-kick.
Chelsea vs Luton: Direct from the Blues
20:02 , Jonathan Gorrie
01 mins: Perhaps looking to catch the Hatters off guard, Chelsea take the kick-off quickly and look to find Raheem Sterling in behind, though Luton deal with it.
Chelsea vs Luton: KICK-OFF!
20:01 , Jonathan Gorrie
01 mins: We’re off and running at Stamford Bridge!
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
19:51 , Jonathan Gorrie
Luton’s supporters are in very good voice here tonight. It’s their first away day at one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs and certainly is being enjoyed by all involved in the club. Absolutely nothing to lose.
Romeo Lavia watches on
19:48 , Jonathan Gorrie
The £58m midfielder is not fit to feature for a weeks and joins Todd Boehly in the directors’ box.
Latest odds
19:35 , Jonathan Gorrie
Betfair: Chelsea vs Luton match odds
Chelsea 1/6
Draw 4/1
Luton 10/1
Betfair: Top four finish 2023/24
Arsenal 3/10
Liverpool 4/6
Newcastle, Man Utd 5/4
Chelsea 7/5
Tottenham, Brighton 3/1
Betfair: Relegation 2023/24
Luton 1/3
Sheff Utd 2/5
Wolves 2/1
Everton 11/5
Nottm Forest, Bournemouth 11/4
Burnley 16/5
Florent Malouda: I predict Chelsea will beat Luton 4-1, but the pressure is on
19:26 , Jonathan Gorrie
The former Chelsea star was speaking to Betway.
“I hope Chelsea score at least three goals so I would go for 4-1 for Chelsea. Managers are never happy when you concede, but we seem to be doing that at the moment so I think Luton will score.
“Chelsea must deal with a lot of pressure now after their first two games. Luton are fresh and will try and capitalise on the negative West Ham result. It’s like the Blues are playing against themselves now. They played well but something was missing.
“They are supposed to be competing for the top four minimum, and when you have been that active in the transfer market you must get the results and everyone will expect that against Luton.
“For Chelsea, the defeat to West Ham was very frustrating. When you look at the squad it’s very frustrating but that’s the reality. It adds pressure on the Luton game even though there were some positives because it already brings a sense of urgency to get points.”
Head to head (h2h) history and results
19:25 , Jonathan Gorrie
Chelsea wins: 19
Draws: 12
Luton wins: 14
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
19:16 , Jonathan Gorrie
Unsurprising line up from Mauricio Pochettino who believes in his system despite defeat at West Ham. Just Moises Caicedo coming in for his debut for the injured Carney Chukwuemeka. Conor Gallagher pushes forward into a no10 position.
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
19:10 , Jonathan Gorrie
Chelsea have spent nearly £1billion on transfers and still have two goalkeepers on the bench today.
Confirmed Luton lineup
19:08 , Jonathan Gorrie
Luton XI: Kaminski, Burke, Lockyer, Bell, Kabore, Barkley, Nakamba, Chong, Giles, Morris, Adebayo
Subs: Krul, Andersen, Ogbene, Berry, Woodrow, Mpanzu, Brown, Doughty, Johnson
Confirmed Chelsea lineup
19:04 , Jonathan Gorrie
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Disasi, Silva, Colwill, Gusto; Enzo, Gallagher, Caicedo, Sterling, Jackson, Chilwell
Subs: Bergstrom, Beach, Humphreys, Cucurella, Maatsen, Ugochukwu, Moreira, Madueke, Burstow
Chelsea in nervous wait on new shirt sponsor amid concerns over Infinite Athlete deal
18:58 , Jonathan Gorrie
Chelsea are waiting for the Premier League to approve their £40million-a-year front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with sports data company Infinite Athlete.
Infinite Athlete was created just a week before discussions about becoming Chelsea’s sponsor began and its estimated turnover is £12m this year, so it is being asked for funding proof.
Romeo Lavia will have to wait ‘a few weeks’ to make Chelsea debut
18:50 , Jonathan Gorrie
Romeo Lavia will have to wait “a few weeks” before making his Chelsea debut, Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed.
The Belgian joined the Blues last week in a deal worth up to £58m despite interest from Liverpool.
Lavia became the second big-money midfield signing the club had made in the space of only a few days, following Moises Caicedo through the door at Stamford Bridge.
Midfield had been a key area the club looked to strengthen after a swathe of high-profile exits this summer and there is hope Lavia, Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez will be starting options for years to come.
Still, the 19-year-old will not be involved as Chelsea host Luton on Friday in what already feels like a must-win clash for Pochettino after last week’s loss away at West Ham.
Caicedo, however, looks primed to start alongside Fernandez for the first time.
“Moises is ready to start, Lavia is not,” said Pochettino on Thursday.
“After [the fitness coaches] assessed him, he needs a few weeks to be ready to be involved with the team. He is reconditioning now and working to try to catch the team and his teammates.
“For Romeo, we need to wait a few weeks until he is involved with the team.”
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
18:44 , Jonathan Gorrie
Reece James spoke about his injury in the pre-match programme notes, stating: “It is obviously a difficult time for me after suffering an injury in training last week, one game into a season we are all so excited for. It was pretty bad timing for me. I had done the full six weeks of pre-season and I was training with the team from the beginning up to the start of the season, so then to get injured in training after the first game was obviously disappointing for everyone. I’ll probably be out for a few weeks but it could have been worse.”
Mauricio Pochettino vows to break Chelsea’s No.9 curse in hunt for new forward
18:21 , Jonathan Gorrie
Mauricio Pochettino will urge Chelsea‘s next striker to take the No9 shirt after learning of the club’s curse.
New forwards including Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson have opted against taking the number deemed cursed by many in and around Stamford Bridge.
Mauricio Pochettino reveals new plan to unleash Enzo Fernandez
18:14 , Jonathan Gorrie
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has vowed to push Enzo Fernandez into more attacking positions in a bid to kickstart the £107million man’s Stamford Bridge career.
Argentine World Cup winner Fernandez has made a steady start in west London without truly expressing the talents that persuaded Chelsea to invest so heavily in him, while the team in general has struggled massively.
Mike Dean admits ignoring VAR call to protect referee in Chelsea vs Tottenham draw
17:48 , Jonathan Gorrie
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has made a remarkable admission regarding a VAR call in last season’s fiery London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.
Dean was the Video Assistant Referee for the 2-2 draw, which saw Spurs defender Cristian Romero escape a likely red card, when he pulled Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella to the ground by his hair.
On-field referee Anthony Taylor missed the incident, and Spurs seconds later scored a last-gasp equaliser through Harry Kane, and Dean has admitted he did not alert his colleague to the incident because he wanted to spare him “more grief”.
Roma the frontrunners as Chelsea reluctantly welcome loan offers
17:46 , Jonathan Gorrie
Roma have emerged as frontrunners to sign Romelu Lukaku after Chelsea were forced to make the striker available on loan after minimal interest in a permanent sale, writes Nizaar Kinsella.
The 30-year-old faces a five-month first-team exile until January unless he can secure a Stamford Bridge exit route, and Roma are now preparing a loan offer as AC Milan monitor the situation.
Lukaku could be set for a reunion with former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who briefly managed the striker during his second spell as Blues boss.
Mauricio Pochettino’s pre-season punishment producing the goods with Raheem Sterling
17:37 , Jonathan Gorrie
Raheem Sterling is looking back to his best in attack, but Mauricio Pochettino still needs to find a killer in front of goal.
Chelsea will look to Sterling again as a creator when they bid to get their season up and running against Luton at Stamford Bridge tonight.
The 28-year-old was in devastating form in last Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at West Ham, winning a penalty missed by Enzo Fernandez and creating several chances.
It was arguably his best performance in a Chelsea shirt since his £50million move from Manchester City in 2022.
Prediction: Chelsea to pick up first win under Mauricio Pochettino
17:33 , Jonathan Gorrie
The Blues are far from perfect but surely have enough to beat Luton, spirited and well-organised as they may be.
If they don’t, there are some serious issues afoot.
Chelsea to win 3-1.
Luton team news: Tim Krul could make debut
17:33 , Jonathan Gorrie
For Luton, Jordan Clark and Dan Potts aren’t available following ankle injuries picked up in pre-season. Gabe Osho and Reece Burke are also ruled out. Tim Krul could make his debut but Luke Freeman has now left the club.
Chelsea team news: Moises Caicedo could make his first start
17:32 , Jonathan Gorrie
Moises Caicedo could make his first start for the Blues.
Chelsea have racked up a nine-man injury list ahead of the game, with Mykhailo Mudryk the latest to be struck down.
Carney Chukwuemeka will miss the next six weeks of action after suffering a knee injury during the loss to West Ham, joining the likes of Reece James, Christopher Nkunku, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana and Armando Broja on the treatment table.
Where to watch Chelsea vs Luton
17:31 , Jonathan Gorrie
TV channel: The game will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HDR. Coverage starts at 7pm.
Live stream: Subscribers will be able to watch on a live stream via the Sky Go app.
Live blog: Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog. Nizaar Kinsella will be providing expert analysis from the ground.
Welcome
15:06 , Jonathan Gorrie
Good evening and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Chelsea’s Premier League clash with Luton Town.
Kick-off inside Stamford Bridge is at 8pm BST.
