Mauricio Pochettino’s start as Chelsea’s manager has been disappointing. After a 1-1 draw with Liverpool, Chelsea suffered a 3-1 defeat to West Ham United.
Moises Caicedo, making his Premier League debut, had a nightmare and gave away a penalty.
Now, Chelsea faces Luton Town at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, which could be an opportunity for Pochettino to secure his first league victory. Luton are coming off a 4-1 defeat to Brighton on matchday one.
Luton’s journey from non-league football to the Premier League in nine years is a remarkable story, but they received a wake-up call from Brighton.
Must Read: Chelsea vs Luton Town – Chelsea’s Predicted Lineup | EPL 23-24
Their attempt to recover from that defeat was hindered by a postponed game against Burnley.
Luton Town have been unable to persuade the Premier League that their stadium improvements at Kenilworth Road would be finished in time, leading to a delay in playing their first home game.
With the benefit of additional rest and preparation time, Luton hopes to bring fresh energy to their upcoming matches.
Chelsea vs. Luton Town: Form Guide
Chelsea’s upcoming return to Stamford Bridge might seem like a positive result, but their recent home struggles paint a different picture.
Full focus on Friday. 👊 pic.twitter.com/kStKB9dPyP
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 23, 2023
They haven’t won in their last nine consecutive home games across all competitions (D5, L4), making it far from guaranteed that they’ll secure three points.
Their issues at home run deep, and aside from a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest, Chelsea have scored one goal or less in seven out of their last eight home matches.
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Their tendency to be wasteful in front of goal might give Luton some hope of getting points in the Premier League, although their previous visit to Stamford Bridge didn’t end well.
In the 2020-21 season, Luton lost 2-1 to Chelsea in the opening FA Cup round, marking their second consecutive defeat in West London.
Last season, before entering the Championship play-offs, Luton went winless in three consecutive away league matches (D2, L1), conceding at least one goal in each game.
Given their performance in their first top-flight away game this season and their past struggles on the road against Chelsea (D1, L3 in their last four meetings), it’s likely that their poor away record against the Blues will continue to worsen.
Chelsea vs. Luton Town: Team News
Injuries have been a significant challenge for Pochettino’s Chelsea, with Carney Chukwuemeka being the latest addition to the list of sidelined players.
An update ahead of #CheLut tomorrow evening. ⤵️
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 24, 2023
Various fitness issues have also affected Christopher Nkunku, Benoit Badiashile, Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, and Wesley Fofana.
For Luton, Gabriel Osho, Jordan Clark, Reece Burke, and Dan Potts are still recovering from injuries, while Ross Barkley, a marquee summer signing, is expected to be available after missing the opening-day match against Brighton.
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Chelsea vs. Luton Town: Potential starting line-ups
Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Robert Sanchez; Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill; Malo Gusto, Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia, Ben Chilwell; Raheem Sterling, Conor Gallagher; Nicolas Jackson.
Luton Town (3-5-2): Thomas Kaminski; Mads Andersen, Tom Lockyer, Amari’i Bell; Issa Kabore, Pelly Mpanzu, Marvelous Nakamba, Luke Berry, Giles; Elijah Adebayo, Carlton Morris.
Our Final Scoreline Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Luton Town
This is a crucial match for Pochettino’s side, and they must secure a victory. While Chelsea’s defence has shown vulnerabilities, it’s possible that Luton could score, but we still expect the Blues to come out with a win.
