Our 3️⃣ points as Chelsea hold on to end 2023 with breathless win at Luton | OneFootball

Cole Palmer was the star of the show as Chelsea beat Luton 3-2 at Kenilworth Road.

It was the home fans who were cheering loudest at the final whistle though after a brilliant final 15 minutes.

Luton came from 3-0 down but couldn’t quite claim a point they deserved in what was a brilliant early kick off at Kenilworth Road.

Pure Barclays

And breathe.

It was Chelsea who ended 2023 with a win but this was a game where both teams will come away with positives.

For the visitors, Cole Palmer was their best player on the pitch with the England youngster scoring twice in the Premier League for the first time and assisting the other goal for Noni Madueke.

Thiago Silva also impressed at centre-back as the Blues held on for all three points after a manic final 15 minutes in which Luton threw everything at the capital club.

For the Premier League newcomers, meanwhile, the applause from their fans at the end said everything.

Despite going 3-0 down the Hatters faithful never waivered and were a huge part in their side scoring twice late on to take Mauricio Pochettino’s side all the way to the final whistle.

Plenty of plusses and plenty of questions for both teams but this really was a brilliant showcase for what the top flight is all about.

Cole-d as ice

Admittedly the bar has been fairly low but today’s match proves yet again that Palmer is Chelsea’s best signing for some time.

Some balked over the summer when the Blues paid Manchester City £45m for a player who had yet to really prove himself at the very highest level.

But so far this term Palmer has showed time and time again why he’s the first name on the team sheet for Pochettino and why he should be in Gareth Southgate’s plans for the European Championships next summer.

Palmer’s strike after only 11 minutes at Kenilworth Road showed all of the 21-year-old’s qualities in just a few split seconds.

Latching on to a poor pass from Luton defender Issa Kaboré, he took a touch on the edge of the area and rifled an effort into the bottom corner.

But his second after the break might have been even better. Rounding the goalkeeper before waiting for an onrushing defender to slide past him, Palmer coolly slotted in to an empty neat seal the three points.

Without him, Chelsea fans dare not imagine where they would be in the table at the end of 2023.

Mad Hatters go the distance

Ultimately result are what matters if Luton are to stay in the Premier League come the end of the season.

But if Rob Edwards’ side keep playing like this, they will be in the top flight come 2024/25.

The Hatters impressed for long stretches against Chelsea and were it not for a brain fart early in the first half from Kaboré and a breakaway goal towards half time, they would have earned a well-deserved point.

After the break, Luton sorted out their press and made it difficult for the Blues to play their way out of trouble.

And the introduction of Tahith Chong and Chiedozie Ogbene added a new depth to their attack which caused a plenty hairy moments for the visiting defence.

From 75 minutes onwards, Luton hit the bar twice, had a goal disallowed and then scored two of their own.

It was a brilliant, breathless end to the game and shows just what they are all about.

Despite that final quarter though, this was a defeat for the Bedfordshire side but the next four weeks sees matches against Burnley, Brighton and Sheffield United.

Come Valentine’s Day, we should know exactly where Luton stand going into the season’s final straight.