Arsenal vs Luton Town 2-0: Premier League – as it happened
All the updates as Arsenal beat Luton Town 2-0 ast the Emirates Stadium to go top of the Premier League table.
This page is now closed. Thanks for joining us. These were the updates as Arsenal beat Luton Town 2-0 on Wednesday, April 3:
This page is now closed. Thanks for joining us. These were the updates as Arsenal beat Luton Town 2-0 on Wednesday, April 3:
- Arsenal stroll to a 2-0 win over Luton Town at the Emirates Stadium to go top of the Premier League.
- Martin Odegaard’s 24th-minute strike and Daiki Hashioka’s 44th-minute own goal help Arsenal complete a league double over the Hatters this season.
- The Gunners go one point clear of Liverpool, who play Sheffield United on Thursday.
- Live updates
- Match stats
- Lineups
It’s a wrap!
That’s all from our live coverage of Arsenal vs Luton Town in the Premier League.
Thank you for joining us and we will be back on Thursday for more live action from English football’s top flight.
For now, it’s goodbye from Manasi Pathak, on behalf of Al Jazeera.
More to come from Al Jazeera Sport
Al Jazeera Sport will also bring you live updates from Thursday’s fixtures, as Liverpool host Sheffield United and Chelsea welcome arch-rivals Manchester United.
Elsewhere in the Premier League
While Arsenal enjoyed a 2-0 win over Luton Town, Brentford held Brighton to a goalless draw.
In the other league game, titleholders City are leading 2-1 against Villa, thanks to goals from Rodri and Foden.
Gunners go top!
A win, a clean sheet and a return to the top of the points table. Arsenal fans couldn’t have asked for much more tonight.
A professional performance in N5 🙌 pic.twitter.com/qzeu0cETnr
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 3, 2024
Full time
A rather dull second half comes to an end, as Arsenal seal a 2-0 win over Luton at the Emirates Stadium.
Odegaard’s 24th-minute strike and Hashioka’s 44th-minute own goal helped Arsenal collect the three points tonight and complete their league double over the Hatters this season.
The Gunners return to the top of the table, with 68 points, one more than second-placed Liverpool, who play Sheffield United on Thursday.
Four minutes added on
If the current score stands, Arsenal will be top of the league, ahead of Liverpool by a point.
90 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Chance for Luton!
Doughty comes charging in from the left wing into the Arsenal box and plays the ball back for Hashioka, whose shot is blocked by an Arsenal defender.
Later, at the other end, Nketiah’s low shot is kept out by Kaminski at the near post.
88 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Arsenal make final change
Jorginho is the final substitute for Arsenal as he comes on for Smith Rowe. We have about six minutes of regulation time pending in this game. There will be likely five or more minutes of added time.
84 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Luton’s Townsend replaced by Berry
Townsend, who created a few chances tonight, has been replaced by Berry for Luton.
With just about 10 minutes of regulation time remaining, can Luton pull one back here?
So far, it has been a rather quiet second half from Arsenal after a lively attacking performance in the opening half.
80 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Meanwhile, City are leading 2-1 against Villa
In case you are wondering what’s going on in the other Premier League match, defending champions City are leading 2-1 against Villa, thanks to goals from Rodri and Foden.
You can follow all the live updates on our match page.
Two more changes for Arsenal
Arsenal manager Arteta makes two more changes as Martinelli and Tomiyasu replace Nelson and Zinchenko. Meanwhile, Luton’s Onyedinma picks up a yellow and is immediately replaced by Woodrow.
74 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Chong creates chance for Luton
Substitute Chong, from the middle of the park, picked up Doughty ahead with a lovely lobbed pass.
Doughty whipped in a cross from the left side but it landed nowhere near another Luton player, as Arsenal easily cleared the ball.
70 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Arsenal make double change
Nketiah and Rice come on for Partey and Havertz.
Havertz provided Odegaard with the assist for Arsenal’s first goal and just before he was substituted, the German picked up a yellow card for diving.
Can Rice or Nketiah add to Arsenal’s scoresheet today? We have about half an hour left.
66 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Chance for Luton’s Onyedinma
Luton mount a rare attack as Clark plays a pass on the right for Onyedinma, who takes a low shot which is collected comfortably by keeper Raya.
So far, Luton have had just one shot on target, while Arsenal have had three.
61 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Chance for Arsenal
Odegaard rushes forward as Arsenal once again look dangerous. He plays a lovely pass for teammate Nelson on the edge of the box, but the ball is cleared before Nelson can get to it.
Arsenal think there was a slight nudge made by a Luton defender on Nelson and want a penalty kick, but the referee is not convinced and the game goes on.
56 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Chong comes on for Luton
Ex-Manchester United player Tahith Chong, comes off the bench for Luton, replacing Mpanzu. Chong could not start the game due to fitness issues.
Can Chong change Luton’s fortunes? The Dutchman has scored four goals for the Hatters this season.
54 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
No Saka no problem for Arsenal
Despite being without star player Saka, who missed out due to injury, Arsenal have done well going forward today.
Havertz, Odegaard and Trossard have linked up impressively, making things difficult for Luton’s defence.
51 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Second half resumes
We are back for the second half at the Emirates Stadium, where Arsenal are leading 2-0 against Luton Town.
As things stand, the Gunners are top of the league.
46 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Elsewhere, City take 1-0 lead against Villa
As we wait for the second half of Arsenal vs Luton Town, why don’t you head over to our coverage of Manchester City vs Aston Villa?
Reigning champions City have just gone 1-0 up, thanks to an early goal by Rodri.
Arsenal enjoy two-goal lead at break
A very one-sided first half comes to an end as Arsenal take a two-goal lead.
Captain Odegaard put the hosts 1-0 up in the 24th minute with a brilliant first-time finish before Hashioka’s 44th-minute own goal extended their lead.
Arsenal had three of their 11 shots on target, while Luton had none.
In the ascendancy at the break – let's push for more, Gunners 👊 pic.twitter.com/Ed1aKsAiNC
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 3, 2024
Barkley’s free-kick saved
Barkley takes a good shot, but Arsenal keeper Raya bends down to comfortably collect it.
That’s it from the first half at the Emirates Stadium.
Half time: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Free-kick for Luton
We have four minutes of additional time in this half and Luton Town will close the period with a free-kick from a lucrative position.
Can Barkley find the net here?
45+4 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Hashioka own goal makes it 2-0 for Arsenal
Well, well. Arsenal have doubled their lead!
Arsenal build up play from the left wing as Smith Rowe tries to find Nelson in front of the goal. Luton defender Hashioka tries to clear the threat from Smith Rowe, but ends up sending the ball into his own net.
The stadium announcer thinks Nelson has bagged the goal, but the Premier League has confirmed it will go down as an own goal.
44 mins: Arsenal 2-0 Luton Town
Chance for Havertz!
Arsenal’s attackers combine wonderfully as Havertz takes an angled shot from the edge of the Luton box, forcing Kaminski to make a diving save.
Can the Gunners make it 2-0 before the break?
40 mins: Arsenal 1-0 Luton Town
Chance for Arsenal!
After a great pass from Partey, Smith Rowe takes a shot that is saved by the Luton keeper. Later, players scramble for the ball in the box before Mengi makes a block on goal-scorer Odegaard.
Great defensive display from Luton.
34 mins: Arsenal 1-0 Luton Town