Chelsea will hope to bounce back to winning ways in the Premier League this Friday when they welcome newly-promoted Luton Town to Stamford Bridge.
The Blues suffered a 3-1 defeat to ten-man West Ham United at the London Stadium, failing to build on the impressive 1-1 draw with Liverpool on the new season’s opening weekend.
Mauricio Pochettino will expect a rousing response from his team against Luton Town, whose encounter with Burnley last weekend was postponed.
The Hatters, who achieved promotion to the top-flight in May, lost heavily to Brighton at the Amex Stadium in their opening game of the season. With both teams desperate for their first win of the 2023/24 campaign, let us look at the key battles that could shape the result of this fixture in west London.
Chelsea vs Luton Town – 3 Key Battles
#3 Nicolas Jackson vs Luton Town centre-backs
A summer recruit from Villarreal, Nicolas Jackson has adapted well to his new surroundings at Chelsea. Even though he is yet to open his Chelsea account, he has impressed with his speed, power, and physicality across two league fixtures.
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— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 23, 2023
The Senegalese striker’s aggressive style of play is a nightmare for defenders and his aerial prowess could be a real threat, particularly with the Blues having a skilled technician Enzo Fernandez in the middle of the park. So, keeping Jackson quiet will be a challenge for Luton’s defence.
A back three of Mads Andersen, Tommy Lockyer and Amari’i Bell were torn to shreds in Luton’s 4-1 defeat to Brighton on the opening weekend. On that evidence, the trio should have to be compact and communicate well on Friday if the visitors are to keep the Jackson-led Chelsea attack at bay.
#2 Carlton Morris vs Thiago Silva
At the other end of the pitch, Luton striker Carlton Morris will look to cause problems to the Chelsea backline.
The 27-year-old, who joined from Barnsley in the summer of 2022, was the Hatters’ top scorer last season with 20 goals in the Championship. He played a crucial role in Luton’s promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs. And having scored in the 4-1 defeat to Brighton, Morris will be raring to get himself on the score sheet again.
Morris is expected to start in a pair with Elijah Adebayo up front at Stamford Bridge. The three-man Chelsea backline, led by Thiago Silva, will need to show discipline and poise to handle Morris and Adebayo’s agility and direct running with the ball in and around the box.
One more sleep until we return to @premierleague action! 😁#CHELUT | #COYH
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) August 24, 2023
Silva’s experience of handling such tricky players, especially Morris, will be beneficial. And if the veteran Brazilian defender can cut the supply to the centre-forwards, Luton’s chances of getting anything from the game will significantly reduce.
#1 Enzo Fernandez vs Marvelous Nakamba
Who comes out on top in this key midfield battle could also be influential. Enzo Fernandez is the chief link between Chelsea’s midfield and attack, and with Moises Caicedo beside him to mop things, the Argentinean will get more freedom to impact play in the final third.
This is something Luton will be wary of, and it won’t be a surprise if manager Rob Edwards uses Marvelous Nakamba to man-mark Fernandez. Nakamba spent the second half of last season on loan with Luton from Aston Villa, making 20 appearances. The Hatters signed him permanently from Villa in the summer as they hope to benefit from the defensive midfielder’s experience in the Premier League.
Energetic and combative, the Zimbabwean will look to break Fernandez’s rhythm and limit his influence in midfield. If Nakamba succeeds in doing so, it will nullify a big part of Chelsea’s threat.