Arsenal vs Luton LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as Gunners go top with win over Hatters
Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town: The Gunners move ahead of Liverpool after Martin Odegaard’s strike and Daiki Hashioka’s own goal
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal returned to the summit of the Premier League with a confident and comfortable display at the Emirates Stadium as they defeated Luton 2-0 in this midweek clash.
For the start Arsenal look in control, passing the ball slickly despite manager Mikel Arteta making five changes and leaving Bukayo Saka out of the matchday squad. Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard combined for the opener with the German squaring a pass to his captain who drilled home with 24 minutes on the clock.
The second came just before half-time and was slightly fortuitous. Emile Smith Rowe darting in from the left pulled a pass back that struck Daiki Hashioka and finished in the back of the net.
There were no nerves from the Gunners in the second half. The managed the game brilliantly, kept Luton’s chances to a minimum and secured all three points.
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Arsenal vs Luton
Luton have taken just four points from a possible 24 in Premier League fixtures kicking off at 7pm or later, with their only evening victory coming at home to Brighton in January.
Arsenal and Man City deliver dullest title ‘showdown’ but Gunners won’t care at all
It wasn’t exactly the game to justify a rise in ticket prices from Manchester City, not that anything would be. It certainly wasn’t a game to justify the build-up. That shouldn’t be a surprise. The Premier League actually has a pretty substantial history of these supposed showdowns being underwhelming games, where the tension has suppressed expression.
The real surprise, however, was how bad this 0-0 between the champions and Arsenal was. Whatever about expression, there were stretches of play where some of the best players in the world didn’t seem to be able to kick a ball properly. City’s attackers were stumbling with their touch on the edge of the box. Arsenal’s defenders were desperately hacking it clear.
Even someone as sublime as Martin Odegaard played one of the most strangely-miscued through balls you will ever see from such a player. As for his international teammate, was there even a moment when Erling Haaland connected with a ball properly? There was certainly another bad miss to follow that one against Manchester United, although this time it was more consequential.
Arsenal and Man City deliver dullest title ‘showdown’ but Gunners won’t care at all
Man City 0-0 Arsenal: The Gunners made a statement by stifling Pep Guardiola’s side and produced the perfect result for the Premier League title race
Arteta on Saka’s absence
“He had to come off against Manchester City three days ago feeling something and he hasn’t been able to do everything that we needed to give him the chance to start the game. So we have decided not to play him.”
Arsenal vs Luton
Arsenal have kept 12 Premier League clean sheets this season, three more than any other side.
Arsenal vs Luton
Luton Town have scored in each of their last 18 Premier League games, the current longest scoring streak in the division. However, they have won only four of those 18 matches and are winless in the last nine with three draws and six defeats.
Arsenal vs Luton
Mikel Arteta’s side have won nine of their last 10 Premier League fixtures at the Emirates, winning each of the last four by an aggregate score of 14-3.
Arsenal have conceded just four goals in nine league games in 2024.
Arsenal vs Luton team changes
The big news is the absence of Bukayo Saka for Arsenal who does not even make the bench after being subbed at Manchester City last Sunday.
There are five changes from Mikel Arteta as Thomas Partey makes his first Premier League start since August while Emile Smith Rowe, Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson and Oleksandr Zinchenko come into the starting XI.
Alfie Doughty was a doubt for Luton but has recovered from a knock to start. Defender Reece Burke is not involved and Tahith Chong is only on the bench.
Jordan Clark and Daiki Hashioka both return to the starting XI while midfielder Fred Onyedinma makes his first Premier League start.
Arsenal vs Luton line-ups
Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Smith Rowe, Odegaard; Nelson, Havertz, Trossard.
Luton XI: Kaminski; Onyedinma, Kabore, Hashioka, Mengi, Doughty; Mpanzu, Barkley, Clark; Townsend, Morris.
Arteta on facing Luton
“We’re going to be needing even more [than in the Man City game],” said Mikel Arteta when previewing how tonight’s match against Luton would play out.
“It’s after two and a half days. [Luton] are in a really good moment - when you see the games that they have played and even when they haven’t won, they’ve been really tough.
“We have had some extraordinary results against the other two teams that are, at the moment, leading the table. We are not top so that means that we have missed certain points somewhere else and that’s what we have to put the emphasis on now tomorrow.”
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