Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town: Gunners overcome Bukayo Saka’s absence to return to the top

Arsenal overcame the absence of Bukayo Saka to transfer again to the top of the Premier League desk with victory over struggling Luton at Emirates Stadium.

Captain Martin Odegaard fired the hosts into the lead in the twenty fourth minute after Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu was bundled off the ball by Emile Smith Rowe, earlier than the Gunners doubled their benefit shortly earlier than half-time.

Japan defender Daiki Hashioka inadvertently put previous his personal keeper Thomas Kaminski in the forty fourth minute whereas making an attempt to cease Reiss Nelson after Smith Rowe was afforded an excessive amount of area in the penalty space.

Luton had been decimated by accidents to the extent that they’d 16-year-old schoolboy defender Christian Chigozie on the substitutes bench.

They by no means allowed Arsenal to run away with it, whereas Gunners keeper David Raya was pressured to maintain out Ross Barkley’s free-kick on the stroke of half-time.

Arsenal, nevertheless, had been largely untroubled as they moved on to 68 factors – one level away from Liverpool, who play bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United at Anfield on Thursday (19:30 BST kick-off).

Gunners get the job performed

Having seen Arsenal at their defensive greatest to frustrate title rivals Manchester City in Sunday’s hard-fought goalless draw at Etihad Stadium, the Gunners returned to goalscoring kind in opposition to Luton.

With simply three factors separating the top three at the begin of the day, purpose distinction might play an important position on this most enthralling of title races.

Arsenal’s twenty first Premier League win of the season moved them on to plus-48, whereas Liverpool are on plus-40 and Manchester City, who had been in motion afterward Wednesday in opposition to Aston Villa, began the day on plus-35.

Arteta made 5 adjustments for the go to of relegation-threatened Luton, with the likes of Declan Rice, Gabriel Jesus and Jorginho given a relaxation earlier than a busy spell of video games which incorporates two mouth-watering fixtures with Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

While Arsenal will hope Saka is again for Saturday’s sport at Brighton, they received the job performed in opposition to Luton with out an excessive amount of drama and with a few of their fringe gamers getting a primary outing for a while.

Nelson was handed his first Premier League begin since 2020 whereas Partey and Smith Rowe each made uncommon begins.

Yet it’s Kai Havertz who continues to impress.

The German confirmed why he has such an vital position to play at the enterprise finish of the season with one other help to add to his eight Premier League objectives when he teed-up Odegaard to set Arsenal on their method.

No shame however Luton should begin profitable once more

Arsenal away was by no means going to be simple for Luton, whose ludicrous harm checklist left them with out the providers of 11 gamers, and a 2-0 defeat to a crew chasing a Premier League and Champions League double is not any shame.

Although the hosts had been comfy winners in the finish, Rob Edwards’ patched-up facet arrived with a plan and made the Gunners work onerous for his or her win.

It is a credit score to Edwards and his gamers that the crew with the smallest price range in the Premier League nonetheless have a combating likelihood of staying up with seven matches left.

But the Hatters, who’re three factors from security, are actually and not using a victory in 10 Premier League video games and should discover a method to begin profitable once more.

This Saturday’s house match with in-form Bournemouth is essential, as are the house video games that observe in opposition to Brentford (20 April), Everton (4 May) and Fulham on the closing day on 19 May.

Player of the match

SalibaWilliam Saliba

Luton Town

1. Squad quantity6Player identifyBarkley

2. Squad quantity10Player identifyWoodrow

3. Squad quantity18Player identifyClark

4. Squad quantity30Player identifyTownsend

5. Squad quantity9Player identifyMorris

6. Squad quantity45Player identifyDoughty

7. Squad quantity32Player identifyOnyedinma

8. Squad quantity24Player identifyKaminski

9. Squad quantity12Player identifyKaboré

10. Squad quantity14Player identifyChong

11. Squad quantity15Player identifyMengi

12. Squad quantity17Player identifyMpanzu

13. Squad quantity27Player identifyHashioka

14. Squad quantity8Player identifyBerry