Overview
Only Fulham 20. are the team that has lost more Premier League games in 2023 than Chelsea (19). Specifically, The Blues have only won 45 points after 42 matches. However, Chelsea have never lost their final game of the year in their last 11 seasons (W7 D 4), including a 1-3 home defeat to Aston Villa in 2011.
Chelsea lost 1-2 to Wolves on Christmas Eve, when rookie Christopher Nkunku scored his first Premier League goal. Three days later, Mauricio Pochettino's side regained their winning feeling when they beat Crystal Palace 2-1. Mykhailo Mudryk and Madueke scored.
While Chelsea may have won three consecutive games at Stamford Bridge, they have also lost their last four away games against Newcastle, Man United, Everton and Wolves. The last time they lost more consecutive away games was in 2000.
The Blues have only earned 19 points away from home in the Premier League in 2023 (5 wins, 4 draws, 11 losses). Of all teams participating in the tournament, only Wolves (16) and Nottingham Forest (14) have earned fewer points.
With an average age of 23 years and 21 days, Chelsea fielded their youngest Premier League starting lineup against Palace, since Man United (22 years, 284 days) in May 2017.
Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer could return for the Luton game after serving a one-match ban.
Sterling has been directly involved in 20 goals in his last 19 Premier League games against promoted sides (15 goals, 5 assists). Of those, there have been nine in eight games for Chelsea (6 goals, 3 assists).
Pochettino also has a good record against rookie sides in the Premier League, having never lost a single game. 18 of those were wins, most recently a 4-1 win over Burnley in October.
However, Pochettino still has to solve the personnel problem when Enzo Fernandez missed the last 2 matches due to injury and it is not clear whether he will return. Meanwhile, Ben Chilwell, despite recovering from 3 months of injury, is still not at his best.
To be fair, Luton has a better record than Chelsea in 2023. They are aiming for their third consecutive victory after defeating Sheffield 3-2 on Boxing Day. Another win against The Blues will give Luton a chance to escape the red light group.
Alfie Doughty scored his first Premier League goal against Sheffield, becoming Luton's 12th scorer in the league this season. Only Newcastle, Everton and Arsenal have scored more goals than Luton.
One of Luton's best-performing players recently is Ross Barkley. The former Chelsea midfielder could become the third player to score against his former club in the Premier League this season. Before that, there were the cases of Willian and Emerson.
In terms of personnel, Luton may be without Issa Kabore, Reece Burke and Marvelous Nakamba due to injury. Captain Tom lockyer continues to recover at home after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch against Bournemouth.
Head-to-head record
Luton lost 0-3 to Chelsea in the first leg in August, with a double from Raheem Sterling and a goal from Nicolas Jackson.
Luton won their most recent home match against Chelsea 2-0, but it was in December 1991.
Chelsea have won 8 of the last 10 meetings between the two sides, except for a 3-0 defeat in December 1989 and a 3-3 draw in April 1991.
In addition, Luton have hosted Chelsea at home three times in the final match of the calendar year. They lost only 1 match in 1989, and won the others in 1990 and 1991.
The match between Luton and Chelsea takes place at 7:30 p.m. on December 30 (Vietnam time), live on K+.
