Chelsea vs Luton Town

Chelsea will be desperate to get off the mark in the 2023/24 Premier League season when they meet newly-promoted Luton Town at Stamford Bridge.

Last season was a campaign of disappointments for Chelsea as they finished 12th in the Premier League table for the first time this century. Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment as the new manager was supposed to get the team back on track. But after a 1-1 draw against fierce rivals Liverpool, the Argentine oversaw a dismal 3-1 defeat to 10-man West Ham last weekend. Slow stars saw the ‘Pensioners’ concede first within the opening 20 minutes but fight back before halftime. Seeking his first league win in charge of Chelsea, Pochettino is keen for a more determined start, with Chelsea looking to maintain their almost-perfect four-game home record against Luton in all competitions (W3, D1). However, that could prove easier said than done, considering they’re winless in their last nine competitive home outings (D5, L4).

In the meantime, Luton Town’s fairytale that had seen them go from non-league English football to the elite division within nine years turned into a nightmare on day one. Brighton thumped Rob Edwards’ side 4-1 on their top-flight return, while the officials postponed their first home league match due to the club’s inability to convince the Premier League of their stadium’s state. Having been given an extra seven days to rest and prepare, Luton will fancy their chances at the Bridge despite going winless on four consecutive road trips in the regular league season (D2, L2). There’s no need to mention the ‘Hatters’ failed to keep a clean sheet in any of those four games, which has been the case on their last four visits to Chelsea.