At home against the Hatters, the Blues want to end their dismal start to the season.
Two goals from Raheem Sterling and one from Nicolas Jackson helped Chelsea to a 3-0 victory against Premier League newcomers Luton Town on Friday, their first competitive encounter under coach Mauricio Pochettino.
In the seventeenth minute, Sterling scored one of his best goals while wearing the Chelsea uniform after receiving the ball from wing back Malo Gusto, cutting in from the right, and weaving his way past Luton’s defence before firing low into the far corner.
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In the 68th minute, the pair worked together again when Moises Caicedo, Chelsea‘s record transfer acquisition, played a pass to Gusto, and the Frenchman crossed for Sterling to score easily.
After seven minutes, Sterling switched roles and set up Jackson for Chelsea’s first goal since the Senegalese striker was acquired from Villarreal in June.
It was only the Blues’ second win in 15 Premier League games, including last season’s terrible stretch, but it was their first since they drew 1-1 with Liverpool on opening day.
After opening with a 4-1 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion, Luton, playing with a team made up primarily of players from the lower divisions, had a chance to draw even on the hour mark but missed the target.
Gusto partially deflected Ryan Giles’s shot, and goalie Robert Sánchez dove to catch the bouncing ball.
Pochettino delivered on his pledge to get the Blues playing attractive football after their problems last season under Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, and the home crowd responded enthusiastically to Chelsea’s first home league win since March 4.
After struggling for much of the time since his transfer from Manchester City in July of last year, Sterling has thrived under the Argentine’s tutelage.
Having spoken with the manager just last week, Sterling is confident that he understands his role and can provide all the coach requires.
After saying, “I came in a difficult period, that’s all finished,” he continued. “I’ve had a good hard look at myself, and I’m the kind of person who always tries to analyse what I’ve been doing, what I’ve done wrong, and what I can change,” he said.
A less flashy but no less important aspect of Chelsea’s victory on Friday was the way Caicedo anchored the Blues’ midfield, freeing up Enzo Fernández and Conor Gallagher to press an overmatched Luton.
