Andros Townsend Haunts Old Club Newcastle as Luton Earn Emotional Premier League Victory

Andros Townsend scored the only goal of the game as Luton Town clinched a vital Premier League win over Newcastle United, just seven days after Hatters captain Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest in the abandoned match at Bournemouth. 

Callum Wilson missed a fine opportunity to equalise in the first half when his header was saved by Thomas Kaminski, but Ross Barkley could have doubled the hosts’ lead when his rasping long-range effort hit the underside of the crossbar. 

Luton rattled the bar once again in the second half as Jacob Brown’s strike was saved by Martin Dubravka. The Magpies thought they had equalised when Alexander Isak found the net, but the goal was chalked off following VAR review, and Luton withstood late pressure to grab all three points. 

With four minutes on the clock, all 11,042 fans at Kenilworth Road rose to their feet to applaud the convalescent Luton captain Lockyer. And this emotionally charged atmosphere set the tone for an inspired Hatters performance. 

Brown hit the post in the early stages after Elijah Adebayo reached the byline and passed across goal, however Adebayo was adjudged to have dribbled the ball out of play. Minutes later, Brown’s shot from the left flank was comfortably caught by Dubravka. 

Newcastle responded when Sean Longstaff robbed Doughty on the right flank and centred for Lewis Miley, but Town’s players threw their bodies in front of the ball to protect Kaminski’s goal. First, Issa Kabore lunged to block Miley’s shot, then Miguel Almiron’s attempt deflected off Albert Sambi Lokonga towards Callum Wilson who headed wide under pressure from Teden Mengi. 

Eddie Howe’s side were growing in confidence when Bruno Guimarães had a goalbound shot deflected behind by the diving Gabe Osho. From the resulting short corner routine, Anthony Gordon crossed from the left for Wilson, whose header from six yards out was excellently saved by Kaminski and cleared over the bar by Amari’i Bell. 

The momentum swung in Luton’s favour on 25 minutes when Doughty raced down the left and won a corner from which he picked out Barkley. The midfielder flicked a header across goal towards the back post where Townsend was waiting to head home from three yards. The 32-year-old winger celebrated his first Premier League goal since October 2021 by racing to the home dugout and holding Lockyer’s Town shirt aloft. 

Luton almost doubled their lead in spectacular fashion when Brown passed infield to Barkley. Emboldened by his exceptional recent performances, the midfielder took aim and fired a shot from over 30 yards which smashed the underside of the crossbar and rebounded onto the sprawling Dubravka. 

Minutes later, Barkley collected Kaminski’s clearance, raced through midfield and slid Adebayo through on goal. The forward’s first-time finish was low and hard, but too close to Dubravka who stuck out a left leg to boot the ball clear. 

Rob Edwards’ side continued to chase a second goal after the interval when Adebayo controlled Mengi’s clearing header and fed Brown, who lashed against the bar from the left side of the penalty area. Replays showed Dubravka may well have got his fingertips to the ball. 

With an hour on the clock, Newcastle probed to find an equaliser when Anthony Gordon dribbled through midfield and passed to Almiron who poked through the legs of Mengi to Isak. The Magpies substitute set himself before shooting beyond Kaminski, but the linesman was quick to raise his flag and disallow the goal for offside.

Town were back on the front foot when Brown skilfully flicked past Kieran Trippier to Ryan Giles. The Hatters substitute raced down the flank and fired across goal, forcing Dubravka into a save. From the following phase of play, Barkley’s drive was headed behind by Sven Botman. 

Minutes later, Giles was caught out of position when Longstaff passed behind the Luton defence for Guimarães to poke towards the bottom right corner, but Kaminski was covering his front post and blocked with his feet. 

In one final attempt to seal victory with a second goal, Doughty passed infield to Brown who prodded towards Barkley. Luton’s talisman dragged narrowly wide from the edge of the box, but the Hatters were able to hold on to claim a vital win for their ailing captain. Just their third Premier League win of the season. 

For Newcastle meanwhile, this was their fourth successive away defeat in the league, a record which needs to be quickly reversed if Howe is to avoid the scrutiny of the club’s demanding owners.

Manchester City Score Quickfire Double to Defeat Valiant Luton Town

Manchester City scored twice in three minutes to come from behind and beat Luton Town 2-1 at Kenilworth Road, putting an end to their four-game winless run in the Premier League.

The Citizens dominated possession in the first half, but it was Luton who took an unlikely lead seconds before the break when Elijah Adebayo rose to head in Andros Townsend’s enticing cross. 

City levelled on 62 minutes when Bernardo Silva curled an excellent first-time shot into the bottom corner, and Jack Grealish completed the quick turnaround by meeting Julián Álvarez’s cross and slotting between the legs of Town keeper Thomas Kaminski. 

In the absence of the injured Erling Haaland, City manager Pep Guardiola shuffled his starting XI to include Jack Grealish, with Álvarez and Phil Foden playing in more advanced roles. 

It was Foden who had the first chance of the game in the early stages when he exchanged passes with Silva and raced through on goal, only to see his left-foot shot saved by Kaminski, and the follow-up sliced wide by the Spaniard.

Kaminski was called into action again on 18 minutes after City passed the ball along the edge of the Town area, with Rodri firing a high shot towards goal which Kaminski dived to his right to save with a firm left hand. 

The Belgian showed remarkable strength and shot-stopping skills to deny Foden ten minutes later. The English midfielder fired through legs towards the bottom corner, but Kaminski was equal to it, drawing all of the power from the ball with his left hand and casually cupping the loose ball at the second attempt. 

City starved Luton of the ball and continued to assert their dominance throughout the first half. Alvarez should have scored when Grealish passed between Town defenders, however the Argentine poked wide from close range. 

Luton had the impressive Kaminski to thank once again for keeping the scores level when he swiped the ball from the feet of the advancing Foden, and it seemed only a matter of time before the reigning European Champions would finally break the deadlock. 

Town eventually disturbed the City defence as Adebayo wrestled with Ruben Dias and passed to Andros Townsend. The winger lashed towards goal from long range, but could not replicate his famous goal scored against City during his time as a Crystal Palace player. This time Ederson could calmly pat the ball down and collect it at the second attempt. 

Ross Barkley had produced an exceptional performance against Arsenal in midweek, and the midfielder performed an exquisite act of skill on the cusp of half time when he danced past Foden and shook off Rodri before passing to Alfie Doughty on the right flank. 

From there, Doughty raced upfield and passed to Townsend, who turned inside on his left foot, looked up and curled towards Adebayo at the back post. The imperious forward leapt above Dias and powerfully headed past Ederson from close range, sending the home crowd into raptures. 

Kaminski made yet another fantastic save at the beginning of the second half to preserve Luton’s incredible lead. This time, Nathan Ake collected a Silva free-kick on the right side of the area, and after his initial cross was blocked by Jacob Brown, he rolled to Dias who smashed towards the roof of the net, but Kaminski got a crucial touch as the ball cannoned off the crossbar and away to safety. 

City eventually levelled after Rodri dribbled into the box from the right flank. The Spaniard was initially dispossessed by Tom Lockyer, but he couldn’t halt his momentum and collided with the Town captain. Spotting the opening, Silva reacted instantly to curl a clinical left-foot shot beyond Kaminski and into the bottom corner. 

The travelling City fans recognised the importance of Silva’s equaliser and urged their team to apply more pressure on the nervous home defence. Heeding their call, Álvarez sprawled across the turf to intercept Amari’i Bell’s loose pass towards Lockyer and charged down the right flank. The forward’s low cross should have been cleared by Teden Mengi, but the former Manchester United man misjudged the clearance and Grealish arrived at the back post to pass through the legs of Kaminski and into the net. 

As VAR confirmed Bell’s pass had not hit Álvarez’s hand and City’s second goal in quick succession was awarded by referee Tim Robinson, the passionate supporters fell silent in the Kenilworth Road stands. 

Another moment of genius by Ross Barkley almost resulted in an unlikely equaliser in the final stages, with the Englishman weaving intricately between Foden and Mateo Kovacic before skewing wide from the edge of the box. However, City were comfortably able to secure a much-needed win and condemn Luton to a third defeat in succession.

Late Declan Rice Header Gives Arsenal Dramatic Late Victory in Luton Thriller

Declan Rice scored with the last touch of the game as Arsenal came from behind to beat Luton 4-3 in a seven-goal thriller, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League table. 

Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring on 20 minutes before Gabe Osho swiftly restored parity with a powerful header. Then Arsenal retook the lead on the cusp of half time when Gabriel Jesus headed in from close range. 

Gunners goalkeeper David Raya was put back under the spotlight in the second half when he flapped at an Elijah Adebayo header and misjudged a low Ross Barkley shot as Luton took an unlikely lead. But Kai Havertz quickly levelled before Rice’s heroic header in the seventh minute of stoppage time earned Arsenal all three points.

To the surprise of many in attendance at Kenilworth Road, Luton attempted to put Arsenal under pressure from the first whistle, chasing down every pass as Mikel Arteta’s men built from the back. 

When Town did regain possession, however, they made a major error when Amari’i Bell’s sloppy backpass sent Thomas Kaminski scrambling to his left, and the keeper could only scuff the ball out for a throw-in. Jesus showed the presence of mind to throw quickly into the path of Bukayo Saka, who raced past Alfie Doughty and centred for Martinelli. The winger beat Teden Mengi to the ball and dragged delicately into the bottom corner. 

Luton pushed for a quick equaliser and won a corner when Jacob Brown’s cross was deflected behind by Ben White. From Alfie Doughty’s outswinging corner, Osho broke free of his marker to head back across goal and into the net, marking his first Premier League goal.

Kaminski had to be alert when Martin Odegaard’s probing pass found Jesus on the right side of the area. The Brazilian fired towards goal from an acute angle but the Belgian keeper stood firm at the front post to palm behind for a corner. 

Minutes later, Jesus broke down the left flank, drawing defenders towards him before laying into the path of Martinelli who forced Kaminski into another excellent save. The forward dug out a shot with his left foot and the stopper dived to his right, showing superb reflexes to parry with his outstretched right hand.

Kaminski was called into action once again when he kept out Bukayo Saka’s curling effort from the right flank, but Arsenal finally scored the goal their dominance deserved when Brown failed to track the underlapping Ben White, whose excellent chipped cross invited Jesus to score a slam-dunk-style header. 

Mengi’s drive from the edge of the box was caught comfortably by Raya in first-half stoppage time, however it was a sign of things to come after the interval. Town moved the ball from left to right and through the thirds, before Ross Barkley’s driven pass found Andros Townsend, whose shot was deflected behind for a corner. 

This time Doughty sought to put Raya under pressure by floating the ball above the Spaniard, and Adebayo rose highest to beat the Brentford loanee to the ball and head into the empty net, giving Luton hope of an unlikely result. 

Barkley continued to sparkle against top quality opposition when he shrugged off Odegaard in midfield and raced towards the Arsenal box. The former Everton man passed crossfield to Townsend who threatened to shoot before passing back out to Barkley. With one step over and drop of the shoulder, he moved the ball onto his left foot and drove under Raya and into the net.

Luton have made an unhealthy habit of conceding just after they’ve scored, with manager Rob Edwards lamenting goals conceded against Burnley and Crystal Palace. This time Arsenal exploited Town’s weakness when Jesus fended off Mengi before collecting Saka’s high ball and passing to Havertz, who beat Kaminski to the ball and stabbed into the net to deliver the sucker punch. 

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta sent on Oleksandr Zinchenko and Leandro Trossard with ten minutes remaining to unearth a winning goal, and the Ukrainian crossed for Havertz to head towards goal, but Kaminski won the duel this time and tipped over the bar.

As the clock ticked beyond the six added minutes of stoppage time signalled by the fourth official. Arsenal pumped a free-kick into the Luton box. After Luton defended the first phase, Zinchenko rolled into the path of Odegaard who whipped an excellent cross towards Rice, whose header flew beyond Kaminski and into the bottom corner, prompting pandemonium in the away end. 

The moment encapsulated the fine margins between victory and defeat in elite sport. Replays show the ball had even deflected off the head of Osho on its way into the net, intensifying the agony for Luton and ecstasy for Arsenal, who momentarily moved five points clear atop the Premier League table.

Late Jacob Brown Goal Gives Luton First Premier League Home Win

Jacob Brown slid in to score an 83rd-minute winner as Luton beat Crystal Palace 2-1 to earn their first ever Premier League victory at Kenilworth Road.

Teden Mengi had given the Hatters a 72nd-minute lead when he latched onto an Alfie Doughty’s corner to slam into the bottom corner, but Palace levelled within seconds when Michael Olise scored a superb solo goal. 

Luton had the last word when Brown exposed the indecisive Joachim Andersen and Sam Johnstone by connecting with Chiedozie Ogbene’s fine cross and stabbing into the net from close range.

Just 90 seconds were on the clock when Palace had their first effort on goal. Jeffrey Schlupp passed in midfield to the energetic Ebere Eze, who sprayed out to Olise on the right flank. The Frenchman danced towards the edge of the box and curled wide of the far post with his left-foot curler.

Minutes after Odsonne Édouard saw his tame toe-poke claimed by Thomas Kaminski, Palace forced the Luton keeper into a fine double save. Eze’s deflected strike from the edge of the box was parried back into the danger zone by the Belgian keeper, who rose to his feet to brilliantly deny Schlupp’s volley with a firm left hand. 

Luton grew into the game and tested Johnstone for the first time when returning Town defender Amari’i Bell unleashed a long-range drive which was comfortably collected.

Ross Barkley’s probing pass then released Alfie Doughty down the right flank, but there was no Town striker between the posts to convert the full-back’s enticing cross which flashed across goal and out of play. 

Kaminski made sure Town went into the half-time break on level terms when he clutched Eze’s curling free-kick from the edge of the box. The former QPR man had been fouled by Tom Lockyer in a dangerous position, an offence for which the Town captain was shown a yellow card by referee Jarred Gillett.

The game was brought to a halt in the early stages of the second half when Cheick Doucoure was stretchered from the field with an Achilles injury. It was a double blow for Palace whose talismanic midfielder Eze had limped off minutes earlier.

However, the Eagles thought they had taken the lead at Kenilworth Road when Édouard raced onto Olise’s direct pass over the top of the Town defence. The forward’s dinked effort was initially saved by Kaminski, but the rebound was half-volleyed into the net from close range. To the delight of the home crowd, VAR replays showed Édouard had inadvertently handled the ball after Kaminski saved, and the goal was disallowed. 

Luton made the most of their reprieve when Doughty’s corner was flicked on to Mengi at the back post. The former Manchester United defender took one touch to steady himself and fired through a sea of bodies, beyond the motionless Johnstone and into the bottom corner of the net.

Palace were quickly level thanks to a sublime solo goal by Olise. The 22-year-old winger turned with the ball on the halfway line and raced down the right flank and terrorising Bell before jinking inside on to his left foot and curling an unstoppable curling shot into the top left corner. The jubilant home crowd instantly fell silent.

Kaminiski kept the score level when he saved Édouard’s close range effort and Marc Guehi inexplicably headed over with the goal gaping. The linesman raised his flag for offside and spared the England defender any embarrassment. 

Luton manager Rob Edwards sent on Tahith Chong to re-energise his team, and the midfielder wasted no time in regaining possession and bursting upfield. Chong quickly passed to Barkley who steadied himself and passed out to Ogbene who glided down the right flank. The Irishman curled a cross into the corridor of uncertainty, and when Andersen left the ball for Johnstone, Brown pounced to poke the ball into the net. 

Andersen sought redemption in the closing stages when he went up to attack a corner kick, but his low drive was brilliantly saved by the outstretched right boot of Kaminski. 

Palace poured forward after the fourth official indicated there would be 12 minutes of added time, owing largely to Doucoure’s injury. First Olise’s header grazed the roof of the net, then the winger crossed tantalisingly from the right flank, only for Lerma’s header to crash against the post and away to safety. 

The whistling that had been ringing around Kenilworth Road quickly turned to a roar as Ogbene recovered the loose ball and passed to Chong, who once again raced upfield, this time passing to Adebayo whose low shot - taken from an offside position - was blocked by Johnstone. 

Moments later, Kenilworth Road erupted when Gillet blew his whistle for full-time, ending a 31-year wait for Hatters fans. Brown’s first Premier League goal had given Luton their first top-flight home victory since 25 April 1992, when Mark Pembridge and Brian Stein scored in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa.