Cole Palmer Scores Brace as Chelsea End Away Day Drought Despite Late Luton Comeback

Cole Palmer scored twice on his return to the Chelsea starting XI as the Blues survived a late scare to win 3-2 at Luton. 

The midfielder rifled in with his left foot to open the scoring, and skilfully rounded Luton keeper Thomas Kaminski to make it 3-0 after Noni Madueke had doubled Chelsea’s lead with an excellent strike. 

Luton once again exhibited their resilience by staging a late fightback, scoring first through Ross Barkley’s header and Elijah Adebayo’s tap-in, then threatening to equalise in stoppage time. However it was a case of too little, too late for Rob Edwards’ Hatters as they ended an unforgettable year in defeat. 

In what was the final game of 2023 for both clubs, Chelsea took the initiative early on when Madueke weaved down the right flank and prodded to Conor Gallagher whose low shot was blocked by the left foot of Thomas Kaminski. 

On 12 minutes, Nicolas Jackson raced down the left and shot across goal, forcing Kaminski into another save with his feet. In the aftermath, Town defender Issa Kabore inexplicably passed straight to Cole Palmer on the edge of the box. The England youth international needed no second invitation, lashing across goal and into the bottom corner to give the visitors the lead. 

Luton’s players appeared jaded by the busy festive period, and they were only able to fashion one chance of any note in the first half. Five minutes after Palmer’s opener, Barkley’s free-kick curled over the bar and into the Oak Road End where the visiting fans were housed.

Chelsea were far from their flowing best at Kenilworth Road, but they were more clinical than in recent matches. The Blues grabbed a second when Palmer passed out right to Madueke and the young winger, who scored the late penalty in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, shifted the ball onto his right foot before sending a rasping effort past helpless Town keeper Kaminski and into the top right corner.

 

Having sensed the high levels of fatigue among the Luton players, Edwards sent on Tahith Chong and Chiedozie Ogbene at half time to re-energise his team. The pair featured early on in the second half when Chong turned on the edge of his own penalty area and sprinted upfield, eventually passing to Townsend who crossed to Adebayo. The frontman used all of his strength to hold off Levi Colwill before Ogbene’s shot was charged down by Thiago Silva.

Chong probed down the left flank minutes later, sending in an enticing low cross which Adebayo, had he anticipated the delivery, would have surely tucked home from close range.

Town were immediately made to pay for their wastefulness when Axel Disasi passed in to Jackson who wriggled free of Teden Mengi and threaded through to Palmer. The midfielder moved the ball magnificently past the onrushing Kaminski by rolling it with the sole of his left boot, waiting for both Gabe Osho and Albert Sambi Lokonga to commit themselves on the goal-line before nonchalantly rolling into the net with his right foot. 

Luton thought they had pulled one goal back when Alfie Doughty crossed from the left for Adebayo to glance a header beyond Blues keeper Đorđe Petrović and into the net. However, VAR replays showed Doughty had strayed into an offside position when receiving a pass from Amari’i Bell. 

Edwards had made another attacking change by sending on Carlton Morris in place of Andros Townsend. Fresh from his starring role in both of Sheffield United’s own goals in Town’s 3-2 win at Bramall Lane, the forward made an impact once again by driving through midfield and passing to Ogbene. The Republic of Ireland international’s cross was perfect for Adebayo who stooped low and headed against the bar from just six yards. 

Town won a corner moments later which Doughty curled towards goal from the right flank, picking out Barkley at the front post who flicked an intelligent header into the bottom corner of the net, scoring against the club he represented between 2018 and 2022. 

The Hatters ventured forwards full of belief they could stage a dramatic late turnaround, and they nearly clawed back another goal when Doughty’s crossed free kick from the left found Morris at the back post who thundered a diving header against the crossbar. Replays showed Petrovic made a vital touch with his fingertips to divert Morris’s header, which would have found the net but for the Serbian stopper’s intervention. 

Smart interplay between Morris and Ogbene on the right wing resulted in the Irishman standing up a delightful cross to the back post, from which Petrovic again did brilliantly to deny a thunderous Doughty header. However, this time Adebayo was in position to volley into an empty net from two yards. 

Town were relentless in their pursuit of an equalising goal, and Barkley produced a moment of magic when he combined Cruyff turn with backheel to unlock the Chelsea defence. But Chong could only pick out the defiant Silva with his low cross. 

In one last roll of the dice, Doughty rolled into Chong on the left flank. He flashed fiercely across goal for the litany of Luton forwards in the box. The last of which, Ogbene, could only put the ball wide with his thigh at the back post after Malo Gusto had misjudged the delivery.

Once referee Paul Tierney blew his whistle at the end of six minutes of stoppage time, Mauricio Pochettino and his players were relieved to celebrate a much-needed win, ending Chelsea’s miserable run of four successive defeats away from home.